Abstract:
A portable bracket is removably attached to a structure, such as a tree, for the purpose of relieving the strain on a hunter who is holding and aiming their firearm. A bracket comprising a back plate and a horizontal plate is secured to a tree using a strap and binder arrangement. The firearm support is portable and lightweight and maybe useful for other purposes within a campsite, such as holding a lantern and a like.

Description:
PRIORITY INFORMATION 
     The present application claims priority, under 35 U.S.C. §119(e), from U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/535,489, filed on Sep. 16, 2011. The entire content of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/535,489, filed on Sep. 16, 2011, is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Traditionally, in mooring watercraft to a dock, various types of devices have been developed whereby the most simplistic comprises a rope that is tied between the boat and dock. Unfortunately, such lines do not prevent damaging collisions between the boat and the dock. It is also common that weather conditions; such as rough water, turbulent winds, and tidal changes; or boat wakes can buffet the boat forcefully against the dock, or even another watercraft. This is apt to cause serious and expensive damage to the boat and/or the dock. Similar damage often results when two or more boats are tied together, commonly referrer to as rafting. 
     Thus, it is desirable to provide a rigid watercraft standoff which will permit vertical movement of the watercraft only, thereby accommodating the dynamics of the water while preventing damage to the watercraft by maintaining a fixed distance between the watercraft hull and the mooring. 
     Conventional devices for mooring a recreational watercraft include bumpers or fenders, which may be attached either to the boat or to a dock, to prevent the boat from being damaged by hitting against the dock due to the action of wind, waves, and wakes. However, these bumpers can rub and/or scuff the boat often causing moderate, but permanent, damage to the boat. 
     In many situations, it is necessary to moor watercraft to a floating dock, where the wave dynamics become intense as the water becomes turbulent with high winds to the point where the dock and the watercraft undulate relative to each, but not necessarily in unison. In such situations, the watercraft could be damaged in the event that the gunwale of the watercraft rises higher than the dock thereby dislocating fenders onto the surface of the dock or in the alternative the watercraft hull becomes lower than the dock, thereby defeating the purpose of the fenders all together and exposing the watercraft to direct contact with the dock. 
     Other conventional docking/mooring devices include fiberglass or stainless steel poles permanently affixed to docks, to rigid posts that hold watercraft off and away from docks to which the watercraft is secured. Typically, in the cases where a pair of rigid parallel members is attached between the dock and the watercraft, an additional crisscrossed mooring line serves to restrain the watercraft from moving in a direction parallel to the dock. 
     Therefore, it is desirable to provide a rigid mooring device using one or more rigid members to maintain a consistent horizontal position relative to the dock, without the use of the aforementioned crisscrossed mooring configuration or rigidly mounted members. 
     It is further desirable to provide a portable mooring device that will keep a boat at a fixed distance from a mooring dock, whether the dock is of the permanent or floating type, and which will allow movement of the boat in only the vertical direction as the watercraft reacts to wave action. 
     It is also desirable to provide a portable mooring device that can be used in attaching boats side by side, commonly referred to rafting-off. 
     Furthermore, it is desirable to provide a mooring apparatus that can be used effectively with various types of docks and watercraft, without requiring any alterations to either. 
     Moreover, it is desirable to provide a mooring apparatus that is portable and conveniently deployed and removed so that casting off a watercraft is readily and safely executed. 
     It is desirable to provide a mooring apparatus for boaters with very limited leased docking space. 
     It is also desirable to provide a mooring device for boats which is removable, and which can be used to secure a boat to a dock or another boat using the conventional cleats provided on docks and boats. 
     It is desirable to provide a multi-purpose pole to be used as a boat hook by a deck mate when navigating about a mooring, or another boat. 
     It is further desirable to provide a mooring device for boats which can be used to connect two boats stern to bow for towing. 
     It is desirable to provide a rigid mooring member system, which can be positioned to adapt to a range of lengths of watercrafts, and which can be used with a series of boat cleat configurations and sizes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating various embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view of the mooring arm in use on a floating finger pier; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the rigid bow mooring hook and single line at a marina; 
         FIG. 3  is a planar view of a rigid bow hook mooring member; 
         FIG. 4  is an isometric view of two mooring arms affixed to a dockside; 
         FIG. 5  is an isometric top down view of watercraft rafting with mooring arms; 
         FIG. 6  is a cross sectional side view of the suction cup and mooring arm; 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of the pier cleat mooring arm retainer; 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric view of a tie-arm used with mooring arms; 
         FIG. 9  is a vector diagram of the mooring elements of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIGS. 10 and 11  are moment diagrams of  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 12  is a planar view of the tie arm member used as a boat hook; 
         FIG. 13  is a planar view of the tie arm member used as a hull/deck brush; 
         FIG. 14  is a planar view of the arm tie member used as a fishing pole; 
         FIG. 15  is a planar view of the tie arm member used as a boat oar; 
         FIG. 16  is a planar view of the tie arm member used as a fishing net; and 
         FIG. 17  is a planar view of the tie arm member used as a diving flag staff. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     For a general understanding, reference is made to the drawings. In the drawings, like references have been used throughout to designate identical or equivalent elements. It is also noted that the drawings may not have been drawn to scale and that certain regions may have been purposely drawn disproportionately so that the features and concepts could be properly illustrated. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a watercraft  120  moored at a marina having a multitude of finger piers extending from a central pier. In this illustration, the pier is either buoyant or supported from pylons, depending on water depth and the variability thereof. Rigid mooring member  102 , as seen in  FIG. 1 , provides for a reliable means to secure watercraft  120  using a single, rigidly mounted mooring member on the bow of the starboard side of the watercraft  120  to a finger pier  106  of floating dock  124  in combination with mooring line  104  tying off the port side of the stern of the watercraft  120  to floating dock  124 . 
     The watercraft  120  is restrained from moving, horizontally, towards the finger pier  106  of floating dock  124 ; however, the watercraft  120  is free to raise and lower with the water level (turbulent or tidal) by using the one rigid mooring member  102  that is able to travel only in the vertical plane. 
     It is noted that a second mooring line (not shown) tying off the starboard side of the stern of the watercraft  120  to floating dock  124  would restrain the watercraft  120  from moving, horizontally, away from the finger pier  106  of floating dock  124 . Moreover, a second mooring line (not shown) or same mooring line  104  tying off the port side of the stern of the watercraft  120  to floating dock  124  in a direction opposite (towards the starboard side of the watercraft) of that illustrated would restrain the watercraft  120  from moving, horizontally, away from the finger pier  106  of floating dock  124 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 2 , watercrafts ( 120  and  126 ) are moored alongside finger piers ( 146  and  147 ), having a walkway  123  positioned parallel to boat stern  130 . Rigid mooring assemblies  100  are removably attached to towing hooks  148  of the bows of watercraft  120  and  126  using a modified snap hook, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . A mooring line  104  is used to tie off the stern of each watercraft ( 120  and  126 ) to the walkway  123 . The mooring configuration of  FIG. 2  restrains the watercrafts ( 120  and  126 ) from moving, horizontally, towards the finger piers ( 146  and  147 ); however, the watercrafts ( 120  and  126 ) are free to raise and lower with the water level (turbulent or tidal) by using the rigid mooring members  100  that are able to travel only in the vertical plane. 
     It is noted that additional mooring lines (not shown) tying off the opposite sides of the stern of each watercraft ( 120  and  126 ) to the walkway  123  would restrain each watercraft ( 120  and  126 ) from moving, horizontally, away from the finger piers ( 146  and  147 ). Moreover, additional mooring lines (not shown) or same mooring lines  104  tying off the stern of each watercraft ( 120  and  126 ) to the walkway  123  in a direction opposite (towards the starboard side of the watercraft) of that illustrated would restrain each watercraft ( 120  and  126 ) from moving, horizontally, away from the finger piers ( 146  and  147 ). 
       FIG. 3  illustrates, in more detail a rigid mooring assembly which includes a remotely actuated hook  164  having a line attached to open the hook aperture in order to connect to a watercraft&#39;s towing hook. The rigid mooring assembly further includes an outer member  108  with slideably inserted inner member  106  to form an adjustable pole. 
     The rigid mooring assembly also includes a locking ring  110  that engages the outer member  108  and inner member  106  to secure the two members ( 108  and  106 ) at the required length to maintain the watercraft at safe distance from the dock. 
     As Illustrated in  FIG. 4 , a watercraft  120  is moored alongside floating pier  114  using a pair of rigid mooring members. In this illustrated configuration, a rigid dock mount  112  is utilized to connect the rigid mooring members in a pivotal manner to the dock. The dock mount  112  allows the rigid mooring members freedom of movement in a vertical plane, but substantially restricts movement in the horizontal plane (fore and aft motion). The dock mount  112  may include a pin device  134  which provides the pivotal connection of the rigid dock mount  112  to the rigid mooring members. 
     Optionally, the dock mount  112  may include a horizontal extension arm  117  to provide the freedom of movement in a vertical plane wherein the horizontal extension arm  117  includes a connection mechanism  113  for connecting to the rigid mooring member. This connection mechanism  113  may a pin connection, a threaded connection, or other rigid mechanical connection that securely connects the rigid mooring member to the horizontal extension arm  117 . 
     The rigid mooring members may be connected to the watercraft  120  via a suction cup mechanism  128  having a release mechanism  116 . The rigid mooring members may be connected to a location near the stern  130  of the watercraft  120  and a location near the bow  120  of the watercraft  120  to provide negligible fore and aft motion and to keep the watercraft  120  off the pier. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates, in more detail, an example of the suction cup mechanism  128  of  FIG. 4 . As illustrated in  FIG. 6 , the hull end of rigid mooring member  102  includes a suction cup attachment device  128  that is pivotally connected to member  108  by pivoting coupler  118 . Pivoting coupler  118  includes clevis pin  132 , which is inserted into the mating holes of suction cup  128  and outer member  108 . 
     It is noted that any detachable means may be employed, such as a hook and eye or ball and socket to provide a flexure connection and is therefore not limited to the illustrated clevis pin embodiment. 
     Suction cup  128  provides a reliable connection point to hull  122  that will firmly hold mooring member  102  to the watercraft. The suction cup  128  can virtually connect to any accessible surface area of the hull or deck, which is relatively smooth. Suction cup  128  may include a manual vacuum actuator lever, which may provide a holding capacity sufficient to withstand twice the maximum force developed from the water/wind currents acting upon hull  122 . 
     The other end of mooring member  102  comprises a dock attachment clamp which readily interfaces with cleat  124 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates a rigging  144  to attach a rigid mooring member to a docking via a conventional cleat  124 . As illustrated in  FIG. 7 , the rigging  144  includes cleat sleeves  138  that go over the lateral extensions of the cleat  124 . The cleat sleeves  138  are biased towards the cleat  124  via spring  134 . Moreover, the cleat sleeves  138  are connected to a pole portion  102  of the rigid mooring member via arms  134  and cross member  142 . The arms  134  are pivotally connected to the cross member  142 . The cross member  142  engages the pole portion  102 . 
     The pole portion  102  of the rigid mooring member is positioned in cleat opening  143  to allow vertical movement Z but restrict parallel horizontal movement X. The engagement of the cleat sleeves  138  over the lateral extensions of the cleat  124  restricts both orthogonal movement Y and parallel movement X. Thus, the rigging  144  allows vertical movement Z, but restricts both orthogonal movement Y and parallel movement X. so as to keep the watercraft in a standoff position with respect to the dock or pier. 
     It is noted that a smaller version of the rigging  144  can be used to connect the rigid mooring member to the cleats of a watercraft. 
     Dock attachment clamp  144  permits the watercraft to substantially move in unison with a floating pier or in the alternative to move up and down with the water undulations, independently of a fixed pier, and has negligible fore and aft motion. 
     In one embodiment, as seen in  FIG. 5 , rigid mooring member  102  has been adapted to include suction cup  128  on both the distal and proximal ends of member  102  using clevis pin  132 . Boats  102  are now held in a fixed position relative to one another and accordingly are prohibited from coming into contact when two or more boats are rafting and yet are able to independently rise and fall with the motion of the waves and wind. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 8 , an alternate method of mooring a watercraft is shown, whereby a pair of identical rigid members  102 , are positioned such that the rigid members  102 , in conjunction with dock  126  and hull  122 , form a trapezoid, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the four sides of the trapezoid have no more than one pair of adjacent right angles and no more than two sides that are in parallel within the perimeter of the polygon defined by the dock, boat and the pair of rigid members  102 . This configuration establishes the mooring geometry, however each connection point of the four sides remains an axis of rotation, and therefore the watercraft retains three degrees of freedom. 
     When a member is internally attached between two opposing corners or a combination of a corner and opposite side, substantial rigidity to the trapezoid is realized due to the four legs being in a fixed position relative to one another. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 9 , adjustable pole  105  is inserted diagonally between the pair of rigid members  102  and thereby creating two triangles sharing a common side defined by adjustable pole  105 , and effectively bracing each of the four legs in a fixed position relative to one another 
     Adjustable pole  105  includes a distal and proximal connection hook that engages either end of rigid member  102 . Members  102  include holes, or similar receivers, on either end so as they are interchangeable and allow pole  105  to connect in either direction. 
     Extendable rigid member may provide further utility by attaching various appliances. For example, in  FIG. 12 , a hook  150  is attached to member  105  to be used as a boat hook when docking a boat. 
     Moreover, a brush, broom, or mop  152  may be readily attached to member  105  for on-board cleaning activities as illustrated in  FIG. 13 . 
     In  FIG. 14 , a reel for fishing is attached to member  105 . 
     In  FIG. 15 , a paddle accessory is attached to member  105 . 
     In  FIG. 16 , a fishing net is attached to member  105 . 
     In  FIG. 17 , a “Divers Below” flag staff is attached to member  105 . 
     Each of the aforementioned items include a common connection device whereas the accessory is engaged within a receiving socket of rigid member  105  having a quick release mechanism. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates a geometric relationship of the two mooring members. Given that the point of attachment x is essentially the center of a circle having x-x′ as the radius and circle y has a radius of y-y′, two distinctly different moments are realized. 
     For example, given two moments of the same length (x-x′=y-y′) the points of attachment of the tie member would move in unison, and thereby allow the watercraft to move fore and aft. However, by providing inequities between the two radii, the two moment arms have dissimilar displacements. 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 10 , radius y-y′ moves in an arc that is larger than the displacement of the arc defined by x-x′, causing disparity of displacement directly oppose any relative motion between rigid members  102  in the horizontal plane only. The tie bar  105  of  FIG. 11  can reduce this disparity of displacement because the two mooring members are not required to have a “stiff” connection to either the dock or the watercraft. 
     It is noted that the rigid members may be used as either a permanent docking device or as a portable docking device and stored aboard the watercraft and used in the case of the rafting of two boats or mooring to an alternate dock. 
     The rigid member may be colored so as to be highly visible and readily located in the event of immediate avoidance maneuvers when docking. 
     In summary, a pair of rigid spacer members is used to separate a watercraft and its mooring by a specific distance, whereby each member has a boat-end and dock-end attachment fittings. The fittings are designed so as to be readily attachable to existing devices, such as cleats, hooks, or rails, or even directly to the hull of a boat or the deck of a dock, without any substantial alterations to either the dock or the watercraft. 
     It will be appreciated that various of the above-disclosed embodiments and other features and functions, or alternatives thereof, may be desirably combined into many other different systems or applications. Also, various presently unforeseen or unanticipated alternatives, modifications, variations or improvements therein may be subsequently made by those skilled in the art which are also intended to be encompassed by the following claims.