Patent Publication Number: US-11029109-B2

Title: Variable-length corner shooting assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to firearms in general and, in particular, to an assembly for shooting around corners. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In many cases, it would be desirable to shoot and hit a target lying at an angle to, or around a corner from, a person firing a weapon, such as a handgun or rifle and the like. With conventional firearms, this is impossible, since the barrel is straight and can only be fired forwards or backwards, or else the weapon must be held extended from the body and fired without visually aiming towards the target. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,173, assigned to the same assignee as the present application, describes a firearm assembly that permits firing around a corner at a target. In one embodiment, U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,173 describes a firearm assembly comprising a support stock with a stock trigger. A pivotal connector pivotally connects a firearm to the support stock at any desired angle. A trigger connector couples the stock trigger to the trigger of the firearm for remote firing of the firearm. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention seeks to provide a corner shooting assembly, in which the distance between the shooter and the firearm is variable. 
     There is thus provided in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention an assembly including a receiver body including a butt, a body trigger, a grip, and a display screen, and a variable-length shaft extending from a front portion of the receiver body, a firearm receiver member coupled to a distal end of the variable-length shaft by means of a coupling device, and a camera in communication with, and configured to send images to, the display screen. 
     In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the variable-length shaft includes telescoping sections which are movable axially with respect to each other to increase or decrease an overall length of the variable-length shaft. 
     In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the telescoping sections are manually movable. Alternatively, the telescoping sections are movable by a motorized device housed in the receiver body. The receiver body may include a control unit. 
     In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the coupling device includes a bracket with one end secured to the variable-length shaft and another end secured to the firearm receiver member. 
     In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention the coupling device includes a pivot joint so that the firearm receiver member is pivotable to any desired angle with respect to the variable-length shaft. 
     In accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention a firearm has a firearm trigger which is coupled with the body trigger. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified perspective illustration of a corner shooting assembly, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified perspective illustration of a firearm holding assembly which is part of the corner shooting assembly, in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified side-view illustration of the corner shooting assembly. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Reference is now made to  FIGS. 1-3 , which illustrate a corner shooting assembly  10 , in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the present invention. 
     The corner shooting assembly  10  includes a receiver body  12  and a butt  14  coupled to the rear portion of the body  12 , such as by pivoted connection. The receiver body  12  includes a body trigger  16 , a grip  18 , and a display screen  20 . The receiver body  12  may also include a control unit  22 , which controls different functions of the corner shooting assembly  10  described below. 
     A variable-length shaft  24  extends from the front portion of the receiver body  12 . The variable-length shaft  24  may include telescoping sections  26  that can move axially with respect to each other to increase or decrease the overall length of the variable-length shaft  24 . The telescoping sections  26  may be moved in and out of each other manually or alternatively by a motorized device  27  housed in receiver body  12  and controlled by control unit  22 . Alternatively, the variable-length shaft  24  may include coiled sections, spring-loaded sections or other mechanisms for increasing or decreasing the overall length of the variable-length shaft  24 . 
     A carrying handle  28  and a foregrip  30  may be affixed to variable-length shaft  24  or receiver body  12 . In the non-limiting illustrated embodiment, carrying handle  28  and foregrip  30  are coupled to an attachment member  32  which is fastened to variable-length shaft  24  or receiver body  12 . The foregrip  30  may be pivotable with respect to variable-length shaft  24  or receiver body  12 . 
     At the distal end of the variable-length shaft  24  (“distal” meaning the end farthest from the butt, the butt being at the proximal end of the assembly) is a firearm holding assembly  34 , which is shown also in  FIG. 2 . The firearm holding assembly  34  includes a firearm receiver member  36  for fixedly receiving therein a firearm  38 . The firearm receiver member  36  may include fasteners (such as but not limited to, clasps, clips, quick-disconnect connectors, and the like) for securing thereto the firearm  38 . A camera  40  may be disposed on firearm receiver member  36 , which may be aligned with, or processed to view, the line of sight of the bore of firearm  38 . The camera  40  is in communication with display screen  20  and sends images to display screen  20 . Alternatively, camera  40  may be mounted on firearm  38  or to the side of firearm  38  or any other suitable position (not even on the assembly, such as a remote camera from a global positioning system) that permits the shooter at the proximal end of the assembly to see the target. 
     The firearm receiver member  36  may be coupled to the distal end of the variable-length shaft  24  by means of a coupling device  42 . The coupling device  42  may be a bracket with one end secured to the distal end of the variable-length shaft  24  and the other end secured to firearm receiver member  36 . Alternatively, coupling device  42  may include a pivot joint  44  so that firearm receiver member  36  is pivotable to any desired angle with respect to the distal end of the variable-length shaft  24 . In this alternative, one or more control wires  46  may be provided with one end coupled to firearm receiver member  36  and the other end of the wire coupled to a control member near the shooter&#39;s hand. For example, the foregrip  30  may serve as the control member to control the pivoting of firearm receiver member  36  with respect to the variable-length shaft  24 , or a separate, dedicated control member on the assembly may be provided for this purpose. As another alternative, a motor or other actuator  48  may be mounted near the firearm receiver member  36  which rotates firearm receiver member  36  about the pivot joint  44 . The motor  48  may be operated by remote control or by wireless communication by the control unit  22  (for example, with suitable control buttons or touch screen). 
     The firearm  38  has a firearm trigger  50  which is coupled with body trigger  16 , such as by a wire  52  (shown in broken lines in  FIG. 3 ) that connects the two triggers together. The wire may extend the length of the assembly between the two triggers either inside or outside the variable-length shaft  24 . Alternatively, a telescoping rod or like member may be provided in variable-length shaft  24  with a proximal end coupled to body trigger  16  (such as by a short wire) and a distal end coupled to firearm trigger  50  (such as by a short wire). As another alternative, a motor or other actuator may be mounted near firearm trigger  50  and remotely controlled (such as by body trigger  16  which would be an electric switch) to actuate the trigger  50  and operate the firearm  38 . 
     Other tactical equipment may be mounted on firearm holding assembly  34 , such as but not limited to, a flashlight, laser scope and others. The firearm holding assembly  34  may include a Picatinny rail for mounting such items. 
     In use, the shooter moves out as many telescoping sections  26  as needed to reach a particular vertical height or horizontal distance. Camera  40  is used to sight the target which is displayed to the shooter on display screen  20 . Actuating the body trigger  16  actuates the firearm trigger  50  and shoots a projectile from the firearm  38 . The firearm receiver member  36  may be pivoted with respect to the variable-length shaft  24  to shoot at different angles.