Patent Publication Number: US-6338218-B1

Title: Apparatus for supporting a firearm

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to apparatus for supporting a firearm in a shooting position and, more particularly, to apparatus that allows a firearm to be moved while being supported by such apparatus. 
     In bench rest target shooting, rifle rests are used to support a rifle during the competition. An example of one of these rests has a base with three legs, the end of each leg resting on the upper surface of the bench. The fore end of the rifle is supported by a cradle that is connected by a screw mechanism to the base, while the rear end of the rifle is supported by a sandbag. Since the target and bench supporting the rifle rest are stationary, the shooter has ample time to adjust the rifle to the proper position for very accurate shooting. 
     Frequently, a rancher must shoot varmints to protect his livestock or property. Since the rancher and varmint are frequently separated by several hundred yards, the rancher is required to have a proper position for very accurate shooting. However, since the varmints may be very small and/or very mobile, the rancher does not have the time to make adjustments that are made during bench rest shooting competitions. 
     A device called the VARMINTER RIFLE REST has been sold by Outers of Omark Industries that apparently suggests a solution to this problem facing the rancher. This device has a Tee-shaped base with rubber feet at each end of the Tee for supporting in a horizontal plane. A rod extends upwardly from the Tee and a sleeve is movably connected to the rod. A screw is used to secure the sleeve to the rod that permits vertical adjustments. A first arm is connected to the sleeve and extends in a direction from the sleeve for pivotal movement in a plane substantially parallel to the plane formed by the Tee. Located above and below the connection of the first arm to the sleeve are upper and lower stub members. The stub members extend in a direction that is diametrically opposed to the direction in which the first arm extends. A second arm is pivotally connected to the upper stub member and a screw mechanism interconnects the lower stub member to the second arm for movement of the rifle perpendicular to the plane formed by the Tee. A firearm support device having a cradle portion and a rod portion is provided at each of the outboard ends of the first and second arms. The rifle is supported by two of these firearm support devices above the first and second arms. A screw is threaded through the arms at each of the outboard ends to secure the rod portions and therefore the cradle portions in the desired position. If desired, one of the firearm support devices can be removed from the end of one of the arms and a pistol butt mount used on that arm for positioning of a pistol. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the present invention, there is provided apparatus for supporting a firearm in a shooting position. The apparatus has a base and a mounting member. A firearm support mechanism supports the firearm in a position above the mounting member. A connecting mechanism pivotally interconnects the mounting member and the base. 
     Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided apparatus for supporting a firearm in a shooting position. The apparatus has a base and a mounting member. A connecting mechanism interconnects the mounting member and the base. A firearm support mechanism supports the firearm in a position above the mounting member. The firearm support mechanism has a cradle portion for supporting a portion of the firearm and apparatus urges the cradle portion away from the mounting member. 
     Further, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided apparatus for supporting a firearm in a shooting position. The apparatus has a base and a mounting member. A connecting mechanism pivotally interconnects the mounting member and the base. A firearm support mechanism supports the firearm in a position above the mounting member. The firearm support mechanism has a cradle portion for supporting a portion of the firearm and apparatus urges the cradle portion away from the mounting member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     Objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description and upon reference to the drawings, wherein like reference characters are used throughout to designate like parts: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partly in section, from the front of apparatus constructed according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view from the rear of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a perspective view, partly in section, from the side of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a perspective view, partly in section, from the top of the apparatus shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view, partly in section, from the rear of a first modification of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 5; 
     FIG. 6 is a perspective view from the top of a second modification of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 5; 
     FIG. 7 is a perspective view from the top of a third modification of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 5; and 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view from the top of a fourth modification of the apparatus shown in FIGS.  1  and  5 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Turning now to the drawing, there is shown an apparatus  10  for supporting a firearm  12  shown in dotted outline in a shooting position. Apparatus  10  includes a base  14  attached to a connecting mechanism  16  disposed in a position substantially vertical relative to the horizon while being fixed relative to base  14 , which is supported on chosen support locations  17 . Some examples of support locations  17  are provided on motor vehicles, such as trucks, automobiles, off-road vehicles or similar devices having a door or bed with a vertical sidewall; vertical building walls, such as those used in hunting blinds; or substantially flat surfaces such as those found on selected ground or rock areas. As best seen in FIGS. 1-5, base  14  is used on location  17  provided by a door  18  of a motor vehicle; in FIG. 6, base  14  is used on location  17  provided by a handle bar  20  used to steer a three or four wheeler off-road vehicle; in FIG. 7, base  14  is used on location  17  provided by a vertical wall  22  of a hunting blind or similar building; and in FIG. 8, base  14  is used on location  17  provided by a substantially horizontal surface  24  that is found in selected ground or rocky areas. 
     As best seen in FIGS. 1-4, apparatus  10  has a mounting member  26  for supporting a firearm support mechanism  28 . It is preferred that mounting member  26  be an elongated rectilinear block of light weight metal, such as aluminum, that has a top  30 , a bottom  32 , a front  34 , a back  36 , a left side  38  and a right side  40 . A front passageway  42  runs through the block from top  30  to bottom  32  near front  34  and midway between sides  38  and  40 . Extending from top  30  is a counterbore  44  provided around passageway  42 . Running upwardly from bottom  32  of member  26  is a support passageway  46  into which connecting mechanism  16  is received. Three threaded holes  48 ,  50  and  52  to permit adjustment extend from top  30  into member  26  substantially midway between left side  38  and right side  40  and in seriatim from passageway  46  to back  36 . 
     Connecting mechanism  16  for pivotally interconnecting mounting member  26  and base  14  is made from a light weight metal, such as aluminum. Mechanism  16  has a body  54  in the shape of an elongated bar or rod with an elongate axis  55  and having an upper or first end  56  and a lower or second end  58 . Body  54  has with a cross-sectional diameter sufficiently small to allow rotating movement within passageway  46  so that mounting member  26  may be pivotally moved around axis  55 . If desired, a thumb screw  60  is connected to mounting member  26  for threaded engagement through left side  38  into passageway  46  to engage body  54  and prevent rotational movement of member  26  around elongate axis  55  of body  54  upon tightening. When desired, lower or second end  58  of body  54  is pivotally connected to base  14 , as shown in FIG.  7 . Thus, mounting member  26  is supported for pivotal movement around elongate axis  55 . 
     Firearm support mechanism  28  is provided to support firearm  12  above mounting member  26  in a shooting position. The fore or barrel end of firearm  12  is supported by a fore end support mechanism  62  while the rear or butt end of firearm  12  is supported by a rear end support mechanism  64 . 
     Fore end support mechanism  62  has a body  66  with a generally U-shaped cradle portion  68  to allow the fore end of firearm  12  to rest thereon and an elongated portion  70  that supports cradle portion  68  above mechanism  26 . It is preferred that elongated portion  70  have a circular cross-section with a size sufficiently smaller that the size of passageway  42  to permit relatively unimpeded up and down movement of cradle portion  68  relative to mechanism  26 . If desired, a thumb screw  72  is connected to mounting member  26  for threaded engagement through left side  38  into front passageway  42  to engage body elongated portion  70  and prevent the up or down movement of cradle portion  68  relative to mechanism  26  upon tightening. An urging device  74  is used to urge cradle portion  68  away from mounting member  26 . It is preferred that a coil spring  74  disposed around elongated portion  70  be used as the urging device so that cradle portion  68  is continuously urged away from mounting member  26 . The coil spring has a diameter sufficiently large to encircle elongated portion  70  and sufficiently small to be disposed within counterbored portion  44 . Thus, the fore end of a rifle or pistol is supported by coil spring  74  so that the fore end of the rifle or pistol can be raised or lowered relative to mounting member  26  by proper application of a force applied against the butt of the rifle or pistol. 
     When a rifle is supported by rear end support mechanism  64  as shown in FIGS. 1-4, an extension member  76  is used. Extension member  76  has a first end  78  and a second end  80 . Depending on the size of rifle  12 , first end  78  is detachably connected at one of the adjustment locations  48 ,  50  and  52  in member  26  by use of a bolt  82  extending through a hole at first end  78  and washer  84  providing a bearing surface against member  76 . Second end  80  has a passageway  86  provided therein. The rear end of rifle  12  is supported by a body  88 , which has a generally U-shaped cradle portion  90  to allow the rear end of firearm  12  to rest thereon and an elongated portion  92  to support cradle portion  90  above mechanism  26 . Elongated portion  92  has a circular cross-section with a size sufficiently smaller than the size of passageway  86  to permit relatively unimpeded up and down movement of cradle portion  90  relative to extension member  76 . A thumb screw  94  connected by threads to extension member  76  may be used to secure the elongated portion  92  of body  88  in passageway  86  to extension member  76 . An urging device  95  is used to urge cradle portion  90  away from extension member  76 . It is preferred that urging device  95  is a coil spring disposed around elongated portion  92  be used as the urging device so that cradle portion  90  is continuously urged away from extension member  76 . Coil spring  95  has a diameter sufficiently large to encircle elongated portion  92  and engage extension member  76 . 
     When firearm supporting apparatus  28  supports a pistol, fore end support mechanism  62  remains the same as shown in FIGS. 1-4 and as previously described in relation to these figures. However, rear end support mechanism  64  is different from that shown in FIGS. 1-4. As best seen in FIG. 5, a pistol rear end support mechanism  64  uses a modified extension member  96  having a relatively flat area  98  upon which the butt of the pistol rests and a hole  100  through which bolt  82  extends into one of the threaded holes  48 ,  50  or  52 , and upon which washer  84  provides a bearing force. A stippling is provided on relatively flat area  98  to assist in preventing movement of the pistol butt relative to modified extension member  96 . 
     When elongated body  54  is connected by base  14  to a motor vehicle, a slot  102  is provided in body  54 . Slot  102  extends from second end  58 , which is disposed below mounting member  26 , toward first end  56 . Base  14  has a support member  104  that is received in slot  102  of elongated connecting body  54 . Support member  104  has an engaging portion  106  for engaging a surface at an angle. If desired, engaging portion  106  may be coated with a non-abrasive material. An attaching member  108 , such as a thumb screw, secures support member  106  to connecting body  54  when elongated connecting body  54  is disposed in a substantially vertical position relative to the horizon. Included in base  14  are a mounting block  110  connected to elongated body  54  of connecting mechanism  16  and first and second rod members  112  and  114 , respectively, connected to mounting block  110 . Each rod member  112  or  114  has an extending portion  116  that extends substantially parallel to a plane formed by the horizon with a length sufficient to span a distance from elongated body  54  of connecting mechanism  16  to door  18  on a motor vehicle. A bent or ninety degree portion  118  of each rod member  112  or  114  extends from extending portion  116  in a direction transverse to extending portion  116  with a length sufficient to secure and support mounting block  110  to door  18 . With extending portions  116  being an axis, the ends of each bent portion  118  is rotated around the axis to assist in making apparatus  10  stable. 
     As best seen in FIG. 6, when elongated body  54  is connected by base  14  to handle bar  20  of a three or four wheeler, base  14  has a first mounting block  120  connected to elongated body  54  of connecting mechanism  16 . A second mounting block  122  is connected to first mounting block  120  and at least one U-shaped clamp  124  is connected to second mounting block  122 . U-shaped clamp  124  has a size sufficient to extend substantially around a handlebar  20  used in steering the three or four wheeler off road vehicle. 
     As best seen in FIG. 7, when elongated body  54  of mechanism  16  is connected by base  14  to a vertical wall  17  provided on a hunting blind, base  14  has an inverted L-shaped member  130  with a vertical extension  132  and a horizontal extension  134 . Vertical extension  132  has a plurality of passageways  136  for connection to wall  17  and horizontal extension  134  is substantially horizontally disposed when connected to wall  17 . First end  56  of elongated body  54  is connected to mounting member  26  and second end  58  is pivotally connected in a conventional manner to horizontal extension  134  to allow rotational movement of firearm  12  around elongate axis  55  of body  54 . 
     As best seen in FIG. 8, when elongated body  54  of mechanism  16  is connected by base  14  to a flat support surface, a mounting block  140  is connected to mechanism  16 . At least three legs  142 ,  144  and  146  are connected to mounting block  140  in a conventional manner to provide a stable position.