Abstract:
A mounting system for a cylindrical object such as a spotting rifle is provided. First and second U-shaped brackets are coupled to a base such as a launching device. Each U-shaped bracket has first and second legs extending from a common base. The two U-shaped brackets are oriented such that the first and second legs of one U-shaped bracket are perpendicular to the first and second legs of the other U-shaped bracket. Each U-shaped bracket slidably receives a sleeve between its first and second legs. Each sleeve is attachable to the bracket&#39;s common base such that the position of the sleeve relative to the bracket&#39;s common base is adjustable. A locking mechanism is provided with each U-shaped bracket/sleeve combination to lock the sleeve laterally between the first and second legs of the U-shaped bracket. The two sleeves are coaxially aligned.

Description:
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention described herein was made in the performance of official duties by an employee of the Department of the Navy and nay be manufactured, used, licensed by or for the Government for any governmental purpose without payment of any royalties thereon. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention relates generally to gun mounts, and more particularly to a mounting system that allows a rifle to be adjusted and locked relative to a base as is the case when a spotting rifle must be mounted to a launching device for purposes of setting the range for the launching device. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Spotting or tracer rifles are used to determine range to a target. In general, the spotting rifle is set for a specific range and a tracer or burning round is fired to see if the selected range was accurate. If not, corrections are made until the correct range is achieved. 
     Frequently, a spotting rifle is coupled to another launching device. That is, the spotting rifle is used to select the range for the launching device. Accordingly, it is desirable to align the site of the spotting rifle with that of the launching device. To do this, the spotting rifle and launching device must be attached to one another. Generally, a series of alignment adjustments are made before the two are fixedly coupled to one another. The adjusting and locking mechanism(s) used to couple the spotting rifle and launching device must be capable of aligning and then stabilizing the relationship therebetween, and withstanding recoil forces. This is increasingly important and more difficult as the desired launch range of operation increases. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable and lockable mechanism for mounting a spotting or other rifle to a base. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable and lockable mechanism for coupling a spotting rifle to a launching device in an aligned relationship. 
     Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious hereinafter in the specification and drawings. 
     In accordance with the present invention, a mounting system for a cylindrical object is provided. A first bracket, coupled to a base, is U-shaped with first and second legs extending from a common base. A first sleeve is slidably mounted between the first and second legs of the first bracket. The first sleeve is attachable to the common base of the first bracket such that the position of the first sleeve relative to the common base of the first bracket is adjustable. A first locking mechanism locks the first sleeve laterally between the first and second legs of the first bracket when the first sleeve has been positioned relative to the common base of the first bracket. A second bracket is spaced apart from the first bracket and is coupled to the base. The second bracket is also U-shaped with first and second legs extending from a common base. The second bracket is positioned with its first and second legs oriented perpendicular to the first and second legs of the first bracket. A second sleeve is slidably mounted between the first and second legs of the second bracket. The second sleeve is attachable to the common base of the second bracket such that the position of the second sleeve relative to the common base of the second bracket is adjustable. A second locking mechanism locks the second sleeve laterally between the first and second legs of the second bracket when the second sleeve has been positioned relative to the common base of the second bracket. The first sleeve and second sleeve are coaxially aligned. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded view of an embodiment of the adjustable and locking rifle mounting system in accordance with the present invention as it is used to couple a spotting rifle to a launch tube; 
     FIG. 2 is an isolated cross-sectional view of the fore U-shaped bracket; 
     FIG. 3 is an end view of the fore U-shaped bracket taken along line  3 — 3  of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 4 is an isolated cross-sectional view of the aft U-shaped bracket; and 
     FIG. 5 is an end view of the aft U-shaped bracket taken along line  5 — 5  of FIG.  4 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to FIG. 1, the adjustable and locking rifle mounting system of the present invention is illustrated in an exemplary embodiment thereof in which a spotting rifle  100  is mounted to a launching device  102 . By way of example, spotting rifle  100  and launching device  102  are the U.S. Navy&#39;s Shoulder-Launched, Multi-Purpose Assault Weapon (SMAW) launching system. However, it is to be understood that the present invention could be used to mount any spotting rifle to any launching device. Even more generally, the present invention can be used to adjustably mount and lock any cylindrical object to a base. 
     The portions of rifle  100  and launching device  102  relevant to the present invention are illustrated and will be described briefly. Rifle  100  includes a barrel  100 A installed in a receiver housing  100 B extending from a forward portion  100 C to an aft portion  100 D which has planar sides  100 E. Receiver housing  100 B is supported on a trigger housing  100 F. The relevant portion of launching device  102  is its launch tube  102 A. 
     Rifle  100  is adjustably positioned relative to launching device  102  by fore and aft bracketing arrangements. The fore bracketing arrangement (located forward of receiver housing  100 B) includes a base or mounting platform  10  attached to a forward end of launch tube  102 A. Base  10  defines an L-shaped flange  11  having a horizontal ledge  12  extending therefrom. A U-shaped mounting bracket  13  fits above ledge  12  and is fixedly attached to flange  11  by plurality of fasteners, e.g., screws  14 . Base  10  positions bracket  13  in a plane perpendicular the longitudinal, i.e., firing, axis of launching device  102 . Referring now additionally to FIGS. 2 and 3, bracket  13  has a base  130  with legs  131  and  132  extending therefrom. A hole  133  is provided in base  130 . Legs  131  and  132  have respective grooves  134  and  135  formed therealong. Grooves  134  and  135  oppose one another such that a longitudinal slot is defined by bracket  13  as illustrated by the dashed line rectangle  136  shown in FIG. 3. A threaded hole  137  is provided in leg  131 . 
     Slidably fitted within slot  136  is a sleeve plate  15  defining a sleeve  150  receiving and cradling a forward portion of rifle  100  as will be explained further below. Extending from sleeve plate  15  is a threaded post  151  which, when sleeve plate  15  is slid into slot  136 , passes through hole  133 . To threadably engage post  151  and lock same into a desired longitudinal position within slot  136 , a threaded sleeve  16  and locking nut  17  engage post  151  on either side of base  130 . 
     To eliminate lateral play of sleeve plate  15  in slot  136 , a set screw assembly is used in conjunction with hole  137  to apply lateral pressure to sleeve plate  15 . By way of example, a set screw assembly  18  is illustrated and includes a set screw  180 , and may include a locking nut  181  and/or a helical insert  182 . If bracket  13  is made from a strong material, e.g., steel, set screw  180  is threaded into hole  137  and torqued to fix the lateral position of sleeve plate  15 . Locking nut  181  is then tightened against leg  131  to lock the position of set screw  180 . However, if a self-locking set screw is used, locking nut  181  is not necessary. Further, if bracket  13  is made from a lightweight material (e.g., aluminum, a composite, etc.) such that the threads in hole  137  could deform under high torque loads, a self-locking steel helical insert  182  could be threaded into hole  137  to receive set screw  180 . Note that if a standard steel helical insert is used, locking nut  181  may still be necessary. 
     The aft bracketing arrangement (located aft of trigger housing  100 F) in the present invention is similar in construction to the fore bracketing arrangement. Specifically, a base or mounting platform  20  is attached to an aft end of launch tube  102 A. Base  20  defines a mounting flange  21  that is perpendicular to flange  11  of base  10 . A U-shaped mounting bracket  23  is turned sideways, i.e., 90° with respect to U-shaped bracket  13 , and is fixedly attached to mounting flange  21  by a plurality of fasteners, e.g., screws  24 . Base  20  positions bracket  23  in a plane parallel to that of bracket  13 . 
     Referring now additionally to FIGS. 4 and 5, bracket  23  has a base  230  with legs  231  and  232  extending therefrom. A hole  233  is provided in base  230 . Legs  231  and  232  have respective grooves  234  and  235  formed therealong. Grooves  234  and  235  oppose one another such that a longitudinal slot is defined by bracket  23  as illustrated by the dashed line rectangle  236  shown in FIG. 5. A threaded hole  237  is provided in leg  232 . 
     Slidably fitted within slot  236  is a sleeve plate  25  defining a sleeve  250  receiving and cradling an aft portion of rifle  100  as will be explained further below. Extending from sleeve plate  25  is a threaded post  251  which, when sleeve plate  25  is slid into slot  236 , passes through hole  233 . To threadably engage post  251  and lock same into a desired longitudinal position within slot  236 , a threaded sleeve  26  and locking nut  27  engage post  251  on either side of base  230 . 
     To eliminate lateral play of sleeve plate  25  in slot  236 , a set screw assembly is used in conjunction with hole  237  to apply lateral pressure to sleeve plate  25 . By way of example, a set screw assembly  28  is illustrated and includes a set screw  280 , and may include a locking nut  281  and/or a helical insert  282 . Operation of set screw assembly  28  is the same as set screw assembly  18 . 
     As will be explained below, the above-described mounting system is used to adjust and lock together any cylindrical object to a base in terms of the vertical and horizontal directions. However, when used to couple rifle  100  to launching device  102 , rifle  100  must also be restrained against axial movement and absorb recoil forces. Accordingly, by way of example, one way of fixing the axial position of rifle  100  relative to launching device  102  is illustrated and will now be explained. Referring again to FIG. 1, an axial restraint or locking mechanism  30  includes an externally-threaded ring  31 , a tension nut  32 , a spring plate  33  (e.g., a Belleville washer), and set screws  34 . Ring  31  is fitted over the aft portion of rifle  100  and is indexed thereto (e.g., via planar sides  100 E of rifle receiver housing  100 B) to prevent any rotation of ring  31  about rifle  100 . In the illustrated example, ring  31  can move axially until it abuts trigger housing  100 F. Tension nut  32  is threaded on to ring  31 . Spring plate  33  fits over rifle  100  and is sized to abut tension nut  32  and legs  231  and  232  of bracket  23  when axial restraint mechanism  30  is in use. The function of spring plate  33  could also be achieved using a plurality of Belleville washers or a coiled spring. Set screw(s)  34  can be screwed through tension nut  32  to engage ring  31  in order to lock nut  32  in position relative to ring  31 . 
     In use of the present invention, axial restraint mechanism  30  is fitted onto rifle  100  as explained above. The aft portion  100 D of receiver housing  100 B is slipped through sleeve plate  25  which is fitted into bracket  23  attached to base  20 . Sleeve plate  15  is fitted over barrel  100 A until it abuts forward portion  100 C of receiver housing  100 B. Note that the face of sleeve plate  15  abutting forward portion  100 C can be shaped (e.g., notched at  152  in the illustrated example) to nest with forward portion  100 C. Sleeve plate  15  is then slid into bracket  13  as described above and attached to base  10 . Sleeve plates  15  and  25  are adjusted longitudinally in their respective slots using threaded sleeves  16  and  26 , respectively, and then locked longitudinally using locking nuts  17  and  27 , respectively. Sleeve plates  15  and  25  are then locked laterally in their respective slots using set screw assemblies  18  and  28 , respectively. Finally, tension nut  32  is rotated back from ring  31  until spring plate  33  is pressed up against bracket  23 . At this point, rifle  100  is driven forward until forward portion  100 C of receiver housing  100 B is pressed up against sleeve plate  15  to axially lock rifle  100  between the fore and aft bracketing arrangements. 
     The advantages of the present invention are numerous. The mounting system allows a rifle or any other cylindrical object to be adjustably positioned and then locked in position relative to a base, e.g., a launching device. The lateral and longitudinal locking mechanisms provided with each U-shaped bracket stabilize the rifle&#39;s position thereby increasing its effective range of operation. 
     Although the invention has been described relative to a specific embodiment thereof, there are numerous variations and modifications that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the above teachings. For example, different mechanisms could be used to lock sleeve plates  15  and  25  both longitudinally and laterally in their respective brackets. Further, other axial restraint mechanisms can be used in place of mechanism  30  depending on the type of rifle being used. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described.