Abstract:
A table like bench rest structure for stabilizing a firearm position for shooting, wherein a special clamping device is provided for removably affixing the structure to a luggage rack of an ATV, and wherein the structure is provided with a table top support mechanism which affords substantially universal position and posture adjustment for the table top.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    Field: This invention concerns gun support or bench rest devices for assisting he shooter by stabilizing the gun position, and particularly concerns such devices which are mountable on vehicles.  
           [0002]    Prior Art: Various U.S. Patents have been issued on gun supporting structures, including the following: U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,080; 4,937,965; 4,672,898; 5,833,308; and 5,697,181, however, none of these devices provide the necessary structures for mounting on ATVs or for giving the stability, universal movement, versatility in gun positioning, or comfort required to shoot a rifle from a sitting position on the ATV, or by a shooter standing on the ground, alongside or in back of or in front of the vehicle.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0003]    The present invention in one of its broad structural embodiments is defined as a gun rest table structure having substantially universal positioning and posture adjusting mechanisms for the convenience and comfort of the shooter, wherein special clamping means is provided on the structure, and wherein said table structure can be quickly mounted on and removed from the luggage racks of an ATV or equivalent type vehicle by way of said clamping means.  
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0004]    The invention and its objects and advantages will be understood further from the description and drawings herein wherein the various figures are not drawn to scale or relative proportions, but illustrate the inventive concepts of the invention, and wherein:  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 1 is a side view of a portion of an ATV (“ARTIC CAT”) with the present table structure mounted on the rear luggage rack thereof and supporting a gun on stabilizing sandbags;  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the table structure of FIG. 1 with the table top shown in dotted outline, and showing a portion of the ATV rear luggage rack;  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 3 is a top view of the luggage rack taken along line  3 - 3  in FIG. 1 showing a side edge mounting of the table structure clamping means;  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  in FIG. 3; and  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  in FIG. 2 of a preferred hand locking knob means for the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0010]    The invention will be further understood from the following description with particular reference to the claims hereof wherein in a preferred structural embodiment the invention comprises a gun rest table structure generally designated  10  for an off-the-road vehicle  12 , particularly an ATV having a luggage rack  14  positioned either forward or rearward of the drivers seat  16  or both and firmly fixed to the vehicle frame. The rack is constructed of a plurality of normally generally horizontally positioned steel pipe or rod members  18  oriented and welded together at angles to each other to form a plurality of openings  20  thru a normally generally horizontal plane  22  of the luggage rack. It is noted that the terms “horizontal”, “vertical”, “top”, “lower”, “upper”, “height” and the like used herein refer to the positions or postures of the particular structure involved relative to the positions or postures of the other related structures, and not necessarily with respect to the terrain surface.  
         [0011]    The table structure comprises a table top  17  of any desired configuration and material, e.g., treated plywood, fiberglass, aluminum, or the like, a clamping means  19  for removably affixing the table structure to said rack, and table top support means generally designated  21 . The clamping means  19  is comprised of an elongated bottom bar or strut  24  having a longitudinal dimension or axis  26 , and an elongated bar or upper strut  28  having a longitudinal dimension or axis, also  26 . At least one of adjacent surface portions  30  or  32  of said struts is substantially flat to provide a lateral stabilizer means in contact with the adjacent rack members  18 . Slots  34  are formed generally vertically thru the struts and are adapted to be aligned for receiving fastener means  36  for tightening surface portions  30 ,  32  in a clamping manner to members  18  interposed generally horizontally between the struts.  
         [0012]    Support means  21  comprises a stanchion  38  affixed to said upper strut and extending substantially vertically therefrom. This stanchion preferably comprises an upper pipe section  40  slidably mounted in a first bearing means component provided by the bore  41  of a lower pipe section  42  and is adapted to be adjustably fixed to section  42  by stop means  43  to adjust the height of its top end  44  above the luggage rack. The construction of stop means  43  is preferably used for all of the adjustment means employed in the present invention for support means  21  and comprises a bolt or set screw  45  affixed preferably by welding to a hand knob  47  and threaded thru a nut  49  welded to the side of the support means component such as  42 . When knob  47  is rotated in a clamping (screw in) direction, the inner end of  45  will frictionally and tightly engage the inner pipe or shaft component such as section  40  and securely hold the sections together. A second bearing means component  46  is affixed on said top end  44  and a supporting beam means  48  is slidably mounted in said second bearing means component  46  in a normally generally horizontal plane. A distal support end  50  of beam  48  is provided with a third bearing means component  51  for receiving a shaft  52  affixed to a table top mounting plate  54  which is fixed to the bottom  53  of table top  17  by screws or the like  56 .  
         [0013]    Each of the three bearing means provides for axial and angular adjustment of the internal member and affords universal position and posture adjustment for the table top. Such adjustment versatility can thus accommodate the requirements of the most particular of shooters.  
         [0014]    The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected with the spirit and scope of the invention.