Patent Publication Number: US-8539709-B2

Title: Gun, bow, crossbow, camera and binocular holding device

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a gun rest for use by hunters, particularly as they are on stand, for example, in deer hunting. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Individuals who engage in the sport of hunting are constantly looking for new products that will provide advantages in the field. Those products may provide advantages of comfort, convenience, or improvements which allow increased shooting accuracy. The present invention relates to a device which allows all three advantages combined into one. 
     In many types of hunting, establishing stand positions from which shooting accuracy may be achieved is essential. This occurs in, for example, white tail deer hunting when one uses tree stands or field stands along the travel paths of the pursued deer. It also occurs for other big game. And, it occurs for other pursued game, such as coyotes, and turkeys during spring turkey season. 
     In all of these hunting experiences, the one common thread that runs through them is the hunter is on a stand while animals hopefully travel by, unwary that a hunter stands in stealth and in pursuit of an accurate shot at the hunted animal. 
     In most all of these endeavors, it is essential that the hunter move quickly and quietly when the pursued game comes within range. Success depends on steady aim and an accurate shot all with a minimum of movement so that they are undetected by the animal pursued. 
     While gun rests have been developed in the past, and are used regularly with some success, most have the problem that they are an extra item to carry. This results in a risk that they will be mislaid, or placed inconveniently away from the hunter, or at times even forgotten and left behind. The resulting movement to find and ready the gun nest when game is approaching creates a greater risk of detection. As a result, and in order to avoid that greater risk of detection, many hunters choose not to make the extra movement purpose of the gun rest in the first instance is lost; and in the second instance creates a risk of detection as the animal approaches. 
     This invention has as its primary objective the development of a steadying gun rest, which is portable, and which may be conveniently taken into the field, attached to the hunter&#39;s lower leg, all without sacrifice of hunter mobility or comfort. When the hunter is ready for use, and in a sitting position, the telescoping gun rest may be raised with a minimum of movement and the gun steadied for an accurate shot. 
     While gun rests have been achieved in the past, no one has developed one which may be detachably secured to the lower leg for easy portability to the hunting site and for assured ready availability with a minimum of movement when the all important time for a shot arrives. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A gun rest for releasably attaching to the lower leg of a hunter. The rest is comprised of a lower leg support having upper and lower ends and formed to fit along the side of a leg. The leg support defines an inner leg contact surface and an outer surface. Attached to the outer surface is a telescoping member adjustable for height with an upper end that is attached to a gun support rest or bracket. The lower leg support is releasably attached to the lower leg of a hunter between the knee and the ankle, preferably by releasable straps. It may therefore be carried as the hunter moves about the fields, and when the hunter sits, for example on a deer stand, the rest may be telescoped up for use to create a steady aim. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of a portable gun rest of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom view of the gun rest shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a side view along line  3 - 3  of the gun rest of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is an in-use position drawing showing the rest strapped to the leg of a sitting hunter. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIG. 1  shows a preferred embodiment  10  of the gun rest of the present invention. The gun rest  10  generally comprises a lower leg support  12  having upper end  14  and lower end  16  which is form fit to the lower leg  17  of a hunter. Leg support  12  has an upper strap slot  18  and a lower strap slot  20  through which calf straps  22  and  24 , respectively, are threaded. The leg support  12  may be made of a variety of different materials, including metals, wood, polymeric plastic material or the like. Straps  22  and  24  may be nylon or canvass or other suitable strap material. Preferably, they are affixed by adjustable nylon loops or as depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , particularly Velcro® fasteners using hook and pile attaching systems  26 ,  28 . 
     Leg support  12  has a convex or arcuate outer surface  30  and a similar inner surface  32  which is smooth and form fits to the lower leg  17 . Attached to the outer surface  30  parallel to its longitudinal axis is telescoping member  34  having locks  36 ,  38 . Attached to the innermost telescoping member  35  is a gun rest  40  which may be rigidly secured or pivotally secured, at the option of the manufacturer. If it is rigidly secured, it is preferred that telescoping members  34  be rectangular in cross-section. If it is pivotally secured, it is preferred that telescoping member  34  be circular in cross-section as opposed to rectangular. For some uses, rigid gun rest  40  is preferred and for others pivotally secured gun rest  40  is preferred. Outer telescope  34  is secured to leg support  12  at  42  and may pivot from side to side. Slide  44  can be adjustably moved up and down to control the side to side movement of telescope tube  34 . 
     In actual operation the device works as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . A gun hunter may be on a stand  48  or seated on a stump, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . Nylon straps  22  and  24  are wrapped around the leg as illustrated in  FIG. 4  and secured by Velcro® type fasteners having hook and pile configurations  26 ,  28 . Upon seeing an animal in range for shooting, the telescoping gun rest  10  is raised by unlocking locks  36 ,  38  freeing it to move to the desired position as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , then again locking them and the gun is rested in the rest  40  for steady aim. After the shot is achieved, the telescope may be returned to its down position by unlocking locks  36 ,  38  pushing it in, and the hunter may get up and move to another position, confident that the gun rest is always with him, always available, and easy to access for use with a minimum of movement to another position, confident that the gun rest is always with him, always available, and easy to access for use with a minimum of movement. 
     Certain constructional features are worthy of mention. While  FIG. 4  shows the user sitting, this device works equally as well for kneeling and standing hunters, especially using the preferred height adjustment which ranges 15½ inches up to 60 inches. 
     While the description here given, has been in the context of a gun rest, it should be understood that this is exemplary only and but a preferred embodiment. For example, gun rest or yolk  40 , can be modified to a rest or holder for a bow, crossbow, camera and/or binoculars. In this way the versatility of the device is enhanced while still employing the inventive concept. 
     It therefore can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.