Patent Publication Number: US-6701660-B2

Title: Universal scope mount for muzzle rifle

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a scope mount used on black powder rifles. More specifically this invention relates to a scope mount that can be universally mounted on a variety of different rifles from different manufacturers, without modifying the firearms. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Since the first field scopes that were attached to a hunter&#39;s rifle, used to enhance a hunters ability to fire a more direct shot at their desired target, there have been many different methods of securing the instrument to the firearm. Not only must a mount for a scope provide a secure attachment to the gun, it must be able to maintain the scope&#39;s alignment after successive shots have been fired. A significant problem that arises in which the present invention overcomes is that gun manufacturers use a variety of different mounting patterns for scopes on the top of their guns and rifles. In order to achieve the secure attachment necessary for a scope, individualized mounts have been required for the various manufacturers of guns or rifles on the market. 
     This becomes a large inconvenience for hunters that prefer to use a single scope on several different rifles. In order for them to change rifles to accommodate a single scope, they would have to remove the scope from the mount of one rifle, and attach it to a separate mount for the second rifle. Accordingly, if the hunter were to remove the scope from the mount, and attach it to the mount of the second rifle, he would have to realign the reticles of the scope with respect to the mount, as well as adjust the eye relief distance of the scope and zero it before use. Eye relief relates to the distance between the shooters eye and the end of the scope through which the shooter seeks his target. This process takes skill and time, notwithstanding the need for the hunter to purchase a separate scope mount for each individual gun. This problem is overcome in the present invention by allowing the user to mount a single scope to a large variety of rifles without requiring the scope to be switched from one mount to another. 
     There have been earlier universal-type scope mounts disclosed, but the differences and advantages of the present invention will become clear in the description provided hereinafter. U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,779 by inventors Ellison et al. teaches a scope mount base for a black powder rifle that uses multiple holes for attachment to different rifles. The invention discloses a single rear mounting hole and dual forward mounting holes to adapt to two separate mounting patterns on two separate rifles. The advantage of the present invention over Ellison is clear in that not only does the present invention use multiple holes of varying diameter for mounting the scope to a greater variety of rifles, but also embodies a mounting base with both planar and radial surfaces, allowing even greater versatility as far as the number of rifles upon which the scope may be mounted. As a result of the aforesaid shortcomings of prior art scope mounts, the need arose for a single sight mount that can securely attach a scope to a variety of different rifles without having to modify the mount or the rifle prior to attachment. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a scope mount for a firearm that may be used with a variety of black powder rifle models. 
     A more specific object of the present invention is to provide universal scope mount which is attachable to a rifle with tapped holes that are factory-formed without having to drill additional holes in the mounting surface of the rifle. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a universal scope mount for rifles that utilizes a plate embodying multiple sets of mounting holes, of specific diameters to adapt to a variety of different hole patterns that are factory-formed within the different rifles. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a universal scope mount utilizing a plate that can attach a scope to a rifle embodying either a flat mounting surface or a round-mounting surface upon the rifle. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a universal scope mount that allows the utilization of a scope and mount from one rifle to be directly mounted on a second rifle having a different mounting pattern. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a universal scope mount which allows a user to transfer a single scope between multiple rifles with little effort or time. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide for a universal scope mount which is uncomplicated in construction and easy to manufacture. 
     The foregoing objects are accomplished in the preferred embodiment of the invention by a rifle scope mount that can universally mount a scope to a plurality of different rifle models, comprising a front and rear mounting plate, and corresponding front and rear scope attachment rings. The identical front and rear mounting plates are rectangular in shape, and comprise a generally I-beam cross-section. Each mounting plate comprises at least three pairs of congruent mounting holes of at least two different diameters, allowing the attachment of the mounting plate to a variety of rifles by using a specific pair of holes in the mounting plate that correlate to the specific hole patterns that are factory-formed within the different rifles. Each mounting plate also comprises a plurality of horizontal holes interspaced between the mounting holes, for selectively fastening the attachment rings holding the scope to the plate. 
     The front and rear attachment rings which are also identical, each comprise an upper and lower portion. The lower portion embodies a generally C-shaped, downward facing ring comprising two mounting arms for attachment to the mounting plate and an upward facing semi-circular portion upon which the cylindrical body of a scope rests. The upward extending arms of the semi-circular element terminate in generally outward projecting flanges with one or more pre-tapped mounting holes there through for fastening to congruent flanges of the upper portion of the attachment rings, securing the scope body to the attachment rings. 
     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 
     The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the universal gun scope mount of the present invention as attached to a scope sight and mounted to a rifle; 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the universal gun scope mount of the present invention showing the various components used to attach a sight to a rifle; 
     FIG. 3 is a larger, perspective view of one of the mounting bases of the present invention enabling the universal scope mount to be attached to a variety of rifles; 
     FIG. 4 is a larger, perspective view of one of the scope mounting rings for securing a scope to the universal mounting base of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of one of the scope mounting rings of the present invention as attached to one of the mounting bases. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     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. 
     Referring to the drawings, and particularly FIG. 1, there is shown therein the universal scope mount of the present invention  10 , as attached to a scope  12 , and mounted to a rifle  14 . FIG. 2, further shows an exploded view of the universal scope mount  10  of the present invention. The universal mount  10  is generally comprised of two identical mounting assemblies, one set to secure the front of a scope  12  to a rifle  14 , and one to secure the rear. Both the front and the rear mounting assemblies are comprised of three main elements; a mounting plate  20 , a lower mounting ring  30 , and an upper mounting ring  60 . FIG. 2 further shows of the mounting hardware  50  used to attach the mounting plate  20  to a to the barrel of a rifle  14  having a radial mounting surface  15 . Also shown is the hardware  52  used for attaching the lower mounting ring  30  to the mounting plate  20 , and the hardware  54  for attaching the upper mounting ring  40  to the lower mounting ring  30 , thereby securing a scope  12  in between the lower mounting ring  30  and the upper mounting ring  40  of both the front and rear sets of the present invention. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the mounting plate  20  of both the front and rear mounting assemblies are comprised of a generally rectangular shape, having a first top surface  21 , a bottom surface  23 , and two side surfaces  25 . The bottom surface  23  of both the front and rear mounting plates  20  further embodies a shallow radius  24  running the length of the bottom surface  23 . This radius  24  enables the mounting plate  20  to be securely mounted to rifles  14  having a planar mounting surface or a radial surface as shown in FIG. 2, increasing the mounts versatility to a wider variety of applications. Each of the front and rear mounting plates  20 , further embody a channel  28  on both side surfaces  25  running the length of the mounting plate  20 . This channel  28  receives the lower mounting ring  30  for attachment thereto. 
     The front and rear mounting plates  20  further comprise a plurality of holes  26  vertically through the mounting plate  20 , with at least one pair of holes  26   a  having a varying diameter than the others. The holes  26  and  26   a  are used in pairs, and more specifically the ones to be used in any given application to receive the mounting hardware  50  depending on the specific rifle  14  to which the mounting plates  20  are to be attached. Embodying multiple holes  26  and  26   a , allow the mounting plates  20  of the scope mount  10  to be attached to a variety of rifles  14 , without the need to drill additional holes in the rifle  14 . 
     Interspaced between the vertical mounting holes  26  and  26   a , the mounting plate  20  comprises at least one pair of horizontal holes  29  through the mounting plate  20 , positioned in the center of the channel  28  a predetermined distance apart from each other. These horizontal attachment holes  29  receive the mounting hardware  52  for attaching the lower mounting ring  30  to the mounting plate  20  of both the front and rear sets of mounting assemblies. 
     Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 5, the lower mounting ring  30  and upper mounting ring  60  are shown attached together. Specifically, FIG. 4 shows both the lower mounting ring  30  and the upper mounting ring  60  unattached to the mounting base  20  as shown in FIG.  5 . Each of the single element, lower mounting rings  30  are comprised of a generally C-shaped, downward facing portion  32  with two opposing mounting arms  34  and  35  for attachment to the mounting plate  20 , and an upward facing semi-circular portion  36  with two upward extending arms  38  and  40 , upon which the cylindrical body of a scope  12  rests. The downward facing mounting arms  34  and  35 , each have an inward flange  37 , that engage with channels  28  of mounting plate  20 , located along the side surfaces  25  of the mounting plate  20  for attachment thereto. 
     One of the downward facing mounting arms  34 , of mounting rings  30 , embodies a through-bore  39 , through the mounting arm  34  and the inward flange  37 . The opposing mounting arm  35  has a complimentary, threaded through-bore in which mounting hardware  52  is received after being inserted through bore  39  and hole  29  of mounting plate  20 , for attachment of lower mounting rings  30  to the mounting plate  20 . 
     The upward extending arms  38  and  40  of both front and rear lower mounting rings  30  terminate in generally outward projecting flanges  42  with one or more pre-tapped mounting holes  44  shown in FIG. 2 therethrough for receiving mounting hardware  54 , fastening the upper mounting ring  60  to the lower mounting ring  30 . The upper mounting ring  60  is generally C-shaped and comprises outward projecting flanges  62  congruent to flanges  42  of the upper portion  36  of the lower mounting rings  30 . Both outward projecting flanges  62  have one or more through-bores  64  complimentary to the mounting holes  44  of flanges  42  located on the lower mounting ring  30 . 
     When attaching a scope  12  to a rifle  14 , the scope  12  body is positioned between the upward extending arms  38  and  40  of the front and rear lower mounting rings  30 . Once scope  12  is in the desired position, the upper mounting rings  60  are placed over the body of the scope  12  directly above the lower mounting rings  30  so that flanges  62  of upper mounting rings  60  align with flanges  42  of lower mounting rings  30 . The upper mounting rings  60  and the lower mounting rings  30  are then attached together with mounting hardware  54 , thereby clamping the scope  12  in place. 
     The description of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations that do not depart from the gist of the invention are intended to be within the scope of the invention. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.