Abstract:
A scope protector is provided that includes a front and rear hinged arch for encircling the scope. The hinged arches are connected by a plurality of protector rods. The scope protector can be attached to a gun rail such as a PICATINNY RAIL commonly found on modern firearms.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/151,202 filed on Apr. 22, 2015. The disclosures of the above application are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The field of the present invention is that of protectors for scopes and other gun accessories such as laser aiming modules, night vision devices, reflex sites and tactical lights and other like gun accessories. More particularly the present invention relates to protectors for scopes and other gun accessory devices for rifles and shotguns that are positioned on top of a gun stock or barrel. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    To increase accuracy in shooting, many guns have a scope or other auxiliary device. Many of these devices are more fragile than the gun and therefore need to be protected against physical damage. Damage can easily occur if the gun is inadvertently dropped or entangled by brush or other vegetation in a forest or jungle environment. 
         [0004]    It is desirable to provide a scope protector which in at least one preferred embodiment is easily and readily attachable to a gun. It is desirable to provide a scope protector which in at least one preferred embodiment attachment is so simple that attachment can be accomplished in darkness in a combat environment. It is desirable to provide a scope protector that can be easily modified for a variety of guns. It is desirable to provide a scope protector that can be easily modified for a variety of scopes or other auxiliary devices. It is desirable to provide a scope protector, that when removed from a gun, is a single unitary member. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    To make manifest the above delineated and other desires, a revelation of the present invention is brought forth. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention endows a freedom of a scope protector that includes a front and rear hinged arch for encircling the scope. The hinged arches are connected by a plurality of protector rods. In a preferred embodiment, the scope protector can be attached to a gun rail such as a PICATINNY RAIL commonly found on modern firearms. 
         [0006]    Further areas of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating the preferred embodiment of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a scope protector according to the present invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a side elevational view of the scope protector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational of a hinged arch of scope protector shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the hinged arch shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the hinged arch shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of a portion of the hinged arch shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a side elevational view of the portion of the hinged arch shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a partial perspective view of the hinged arch shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a front elevational view of another portion of the hinged arch shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a side elevational view of the hinged arch shown in  FIG. 9 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a front elevational view of a protector rod shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 12  is a side elevational view of the protector rod shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the protector rod shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 14  is a partial perspective view of a protector rod extension; 
           [0022]      FIG. 15  is a side elevational view of a protector rod extension; 
           [0023]      FIG. 16  is a front elevational view of the protector rod extension shown in  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the scope protector installed on a semi-automatic rifle; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 18  is an alternate preferred embodiment hinged arch to the hinged arch shown in  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    The following description of the preferred embodiment(s) is merely exemplary in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 through 17 , a scope protector  7  for guarding a scope  8  of a gun  10  is provided. The scope protector  7  includes a rear hinged arch  12  and a front hinged arch  14 . The hinged arches  12  and  14  are typically identical to each other and are therefore interchangeable. The hinged arch  12  is typically elliptical, almost circular in its cross-sectional shape being slightly greater in its width dimension than in its vertical dimension to allow it to encircle the scope  8 . 
         [0028]    The hinged arch  12  has  4  cross bores  20  allow for insertion of protector rods  22 . The protector rods  22  are affixed to the hinged arches  12 ,  14  via threaded set screws that are inserted in set screw bores  26 . Typically the set screws  23  are drivable by a blade drive or Allen wrench. Set screw bores  26  are drilled to be generally parallel with each other and are horizontal. Since the protector rods  22  are connected with the hinged arches  12 ,  14  by set screws, the axial length between the hinged arch  12  and  14  can be adjusted for the particular application that the scope protector  7  is being utilized for. A cross-sectional angle  70  between the top protector rods  22  is designed so that there is no less than  90 ° unobstructed area between the protector rods to allow a gun operator easy access for any fine adjustments needed be made to the scope  8 . 
         [0029]    The hinged arch is fabricated from arcuate members  30  and  32  and are hingeably connected along their top ends by a hinge pin  34 . Arcuate member  30  has a floor piece  40  attached thereto. Floor piece  40  abuts a stud  42  that is connected with arcuate member  32 . The stud  42  and floor piece  40  have cam faces  45  and  47  to allow them to be attached to a Picatinny mounting rail  51  of the gun  10 . A through bore  48  that extends through the cam faces  45  and  47  allows the hinged arch  12  be fixedly connected with the mounting rail by a set screw. Attachment is relatively easy, which allow for attachment in non-lighted environments. When the scope protector  7  is removed from the gun  10 , the scope protector is a single unitary member. 
         [0030]    The protector rods  22  along their forward end have a threaded bore  62  to allow a threaded stud  64  of a protector rod extension  66  to be a threadably attach thereto. The hinged arches and protective rods  22  are typically fabricated from aluminum, titanium or other light strong metal or from a fiber reinforced polymeric material. 
         [0031]      FIG. 18  provides a hinged arch  112 . The hinged arch  112  has a side dimension  171  from a center line  173  that is approximately 9 to 10% larger than side dimension  175 . The larger dimension  171  in the arch  112  accommodates additional space for adjustment knobs on the scope. Hinged arch  112  also has flange area  180  around the holes for the protector rods, allowing the hinges&#39; main radial body  181  to have a radial thickness less than that of the reinforcement rod. 
         [0032]    Those skilled in the art can now appreciate from the foregoing description that the broad teachings of the present invention can be implemented in a variety of forms. Therefore, while this invention has been described in connection with particular examples thereof, the true scope of the invention should not be so limited, since other modifications will become apparent to the skilled practitioner upon a study of the drawings, specification and following claims.