Patent ID: 12259214

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference toFIGS.1and2, the invention is a longitudinally elongated cover10for a long gun such as a rifle, shotgun, or other long firearm. The term, “rifle” will be used as a representative term inclusive of any sort of long gun without limitation as to the exact variety of firearm that the cover might be applied to.

A rifle12with scope14is shown in the lower half ofFIG.1with the longitudinal dimension extending horizontally between left and right ends. The following standard terminology applies to a rifle's parts, with similar or equivalent parts being found in most other varieties of long firearm:

A barrel16is the longitudinal tube shown at the left end of rifle12and serves to pass the bullet in the longitudinal direction of the barrel.

A muzzle18is the front end of the barrel, at the left end of the rifle12, where the bullet leaves the barrel.

A forestock20is at the left end of the base, below the barrel at the center or right portion of the barrel.

A receiver22is a housing behind the forestock and barrel, housing operating components of the internal action, which may include a hammer, bolt or breechblock, firing pin, and extractor.

A trigger and trigger guard24is mounted on the bottom of the receiver and operates components of the internal action that fire a bullet.

A grip or pistol grip26is located rearward of the receiver and is a downwardly extending handle to be held by the user's hand at an at least a partial vertical angle, similar to the handle of a conventional pistol. The grip generally is held by the user's hand that operates the trigger.

A stock28is a rearwardly extending brace or rest, behind the grip, for bracing the rifle against the user's shoulder when firing.

A butt or recoil pad30is the rear end of a stock, positioned to contact the user's shoulder, often also defined by a recoil pad.

A sling32is a carrying strap that often extends from a sling stud on the stock to a sling stud on the forestock.

The cover10with scope pocket34is shown in the upper half ofFIG.1and inFIG.2. The cover is longitudinally elongated and has a central body with opposite side panels, a top edge, and bottom edges, generally defining an interior space that, in use, receives the body of a contained rifle. A longitudinal front end of the central body is connected to a first special purpose pocket that during use receives a barrel of the contained rifle. A longitudinal rear end of the central body is connected to a second special purpose pocket that during use receives the butt end of the stock of the contained rifle. The scope pocket is connected to the central body at the top edge and during use receives the scope of the contained rifle. The pockets are open to the interior of the central body. The bottom edges are bottoms of the opposite side panels and define an open, longitudinal slit between them that, in use, allows insertion of the rifle to be contained in the central body and pockets.

The barrel pocket36is located at the forward end of the cover. It has an open back end38for receiving the front or barrel end of the contained rifle. The length is selectable, although a length of about twelve inches is preferred so that a substantial portion of the rifle barrel16, in front of the forestock20, is received in the barrel pocket. The width or diameter of the barrel pocket is sufficient that the muzzle end18of a typically sized rifle barrel can be received at the muzzle end40of the barrel pocket. A muzzle end diameter of about one and one-quarter inches is preferred and is considered to be a form fitting portion of the barrel pocket. The barrel pocket has a rearward flare in diameter. At the open rear end of the barrel pocket, the diameter is larger than at the muzzle end, creating a snagless feature. With a diameter at the rear end38of the barrel pocket of about two inches, the rear end of the barrel pocket may be able to further receive a larger diameter portion of the rifle than the rifle barrel, alone, which may prove helpful where such larger diameter portion is present and suitably positioned. The anticipated larger diameter object is the front end of the rifle's forestock20, as illustrated by the phantom forestock end42shown inFIG.2, when the length of the rifle barrel in front of the forestock is short enough to allow this. In this circumstance, admitting the forward end of the forestock20into the barrel pocket36can prevent undesired rearward offset of the rifle's desired fitting position in the cover. When the rifle's muzzle is not grounded against the muzzle end of the barrel pocket, the entry of the forestock20into the flared end of the barrel pocket36also extends the muzzle end18of the rifle barrel further into the barrel pocket36, which can prevent or reduce any sagging of the nose at the muzzle end40of the barrel pocket36.

The butt pocket44is located at the rear end of the cover10. It has an open front end46for receiving the rear or stock end of a carried rifle. The sizing of the butt pocket should be sufficient that the butt end of typically sized rifle stock can be received in the fill depth of the butt pocket, at a back wall48of the butt pocket46. A preferred length of a butt pocket is about six inches, and a preferred height is about five inches. In the interest of snug fit, these dimensions are roughly minimums and can be varied as desired. Expanded dimensions of an inch or two may be desired for receiving correspondingly larger stocks. A rifle stock has both a significant height and a significant thickness, so the butt pocket is constructed to have a back wall48imparting a width to better accommodate the wide shape of rifle butt30of a stock28. The back wall48may have a width of about two and one-quarter inches, which is suitable for entry of a typical butt of a rifle stock28. In addition, the butt pocket defines a hooking feature by a bottom hook wall50extending at least slightly forward from the lower end of the back wall48. For example, the hook wall may angle downwardly and forwardly at forty-five degrees. As a result, the hook wall extends forward by only a fraction of the length of the butt pocket, such as about one-sixth, equating to about two inches in overall length with only one inch in forward disposition, considering the preferred dimensions of the butt pocket.

The hook wall50has utility in establishing easy insertion and easy withdrawal of the rifle into and out of the cover. Initially the rifle is inserted into the cover by inserting the barrel16into the barrel pocket. Second, the butt end of the rifle stock has to be inserted into the butt pocket44, but when the cover snugly fits the rife, this latter insertion may be tight due to comparative lengths of the rifle and the cover. The hook wall50is the solution to rapidly applying the cover to the rifle. This wall is short, allowing the user to easily hook it over the butt end of the rifle stock. As a further aid, the hook wall carries a finger loop52at its lower, forward end, which enables the user to apply pulling force to pull back the lower the leading edge of the hook wall to ease full entry into the butt pocket of the butt end of the stock. The finger loop is equally helpful in pulling down and back on the leading edge of the hook wall as a first step in extracting the rifle from the cover.

The central body54of the cover10is intermediate the opposite end pockets and the opposite side panels. It is located between the open rear end38of the barrel pocket36and the open front46of butt pocket44. The central body54may be formed from a single sheet of fabric folded at a center fold line that correspond, in one embodiment, to a top edge of the scope pocket34, or in another embodiment, to a top edge56of a central body54. The fabric sheet defines the resulting left and right side panels62,64from the fabric respectively on opposite sides of the center fold line. The left and right side panels62,64are substantially mirror images of one another. Thus, the side panel62shown inFIGS.1and3is a left side panel. The substantially identical opposite side panel64, best shown inFIG.3, is a right side panel. Between the two side panels, cover10has a central reception area for a rifle or other long gun. The two side panels are shaped by trimming as needed, which may include partially splitting and reshaping the single fabric body at the top fold line at top edge56and rejoining the trimmed edges at a seam along top edge56. The central body54is connected into the overall cover10by a fore end seam at the periphery of the open end38of the barrel pocket. The central body54also is connected at an aft end seam to the periphery of the open front end46of the butt pocket. The bottom edge58of the left panel and the bottom edge60of the right panel are not joined over their major longitudinal extent. Instead, the left side bottom edge58and the right side right side bottom edge60form an open slit66between them, extending longitudinally over the majority of their lengths. Open slit66is a major longitudinal entry or exit slit for passage of the rifle12to or from a rifle reception space in the cover10. At the butt pocket, the slit66extends rearwardly beyond open front edge46, resulting in the butt pocket defining an extension of slit66. The butt has a right side panel with a free lower edge68and a left side panel with a free lower edge70. The free lower edges68,70come together at a lateral cross edge corresponding to the position where finger loop52is attached, or equivalently at the lower, forward edge of the hook wall50. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the slit66extends from a front at an intersection with open face38of the barrel pocket to a rear at hook wall50.

In another embodiment, the two sides of slit66are the continuous right edges60,68and the continuous left edges58,70. Some or all of these edges are adapted to contraction by adding an elastic element to each, with the elastic element shown as a zig zag pattern at in some or all edges in selected views. Edges that are at least optional candidates for elastic modification are renumbered. Contracted edge58is renumbered as59, contracted edge60is renumbered as61, optionally modified edge68is renumbered as69, and optionally modified edge70is renumbered as71. The optionally modified cross edge is numbered as element51inFIG.3. Optionally, a single elastic element extends continuously from the intersection of open face38with edge61, rearward through edges61and69, through cross edge51, then back toward the front at edge71and edge59, terminating at the intersection of open face38with edge59. Modifying the edges68,70, and lower edge of50at the butt pocket is optional, because the butt pocket is constructed of a stiff ballistic fabric that is only minimally contractible, at best. Therefore, the elastic modifications may omit the butt pocket edges, and inFIG.3the optional butt pocket edges are given the indicated renumbering but no zig zag indication of an elastic member is shown. The choice of whether to modify the cross edge and side edges of the butt pocket passage may be a matter of whether a single elastic member is to be applied or whether separate lengths of elastic cord are to be applied to each of the two sides of the slit.

The lower edges58,60of the side panels, as well as any other edges discussed, above, are modified to be elastic or at least contractible by the placement of elastic cord or similar stretch member into passages formed in such lower edges. A suitable way to create a contractible passageway for elastic cord at an edge is by folding the edge to form a lengthwise passageway for the elastic cord. Separate passageways or a continuous single passageway in a U-shaped loop may be formed. Then, the elastic or stretch cord can be pulled to be placed in tension, contracting the passages. As suggested by the zig zag pattern of contracted left and right edges59and61ofFIGS.2and3, elastic cord under tension in the edge passageways will lengthwise bunch together the fabric edges by elastic contraction. The elastic cord may be entirely contained in the passages and terminated at only two separate locations, such as where the two edge passages59,61meet the rear end38of the barrel pocket36. The cord may otherwise extend rearward through the passages59,61of the central body54and the passages69.71and51of the butt pocket44, crossing between left and right edges at the cross passage51. In this arrangement, the length of the active elastic cord is fixed and the amount of elastic tension is fixed. An advantage of the fully contained, fixed, non-adjustable cord is that there are no dangling cord ends to become snagged during use. Another option for contracting the edges59,61is using the edge passages separately, each holding an individual cord. Non-stretchable draw cords are less desired because they present the problem of dangling cord ends outside the edge passages, which can lead to snagging when the rifle in being carried inside the cover or when the cover10is being applied to or removed from the rifle.

With reference toFIGS.1,2, and3, the cover10is particularly adapted to avoid snagging when used with a rifle equipped with a scope14. The cover10defines a scope pocket34that extends above the top56of the left and right side panels54,64of the cover10. The scope pocket may be formed by upwardly extending portions of a single panel of sheet material, preferably a fabric panel that also forms the sides of the central body54. As an integral part of the single sheet of fabric forming the central body, the scope pocket has no cut or sewn edge between the scope pocket and the central body. As the scope pocket is above the level or the top edge56of the central body, the top edge may be a sewn seam along the top of the central body that is not at the scope pocket, but is present to the front and rear of the scope pocket. Thus, the top edge56results from the fabric panel being trimmed down at fore and aft segments at opposite ends of the scope pocket. Adding an elastic lower border to the scope pocket requires a different technique than described for adding the elastic edges59,61to the side panels of the central body.

A key feature of the scope pocket34is its relatively major longitudinal dimension compared to the longitudinal distance between the barrel pocket36and the butt pocket44. This major dimension is significantly longer that known or anticipated length of a rifle scope. The front end of the scope pocket may extend forwardly to the anticipated position of about a midpoint in the length of a forestock20carried in the cover10. The back end of the scope pocket may extend to the anticipated position of about one quarter of the length of a stock28carried in the cover10. Dimensionally, on a central body54, the scope pocket could extend over the entire length of the central body54, but a somewhat shorter scope pocket is desired to enable the scope pocket to assist in controlling excess fabric in the central body54.

The length and position of the scope pocket on the central body54is determined by the length and position of the base or interface between the scope pocket and the central body. The scope pocket has a peripheral base defined by a pathway72that is elastic or capable of carrying or containing an elastic element that can be drawn to contract or cinch the shape of the pathway72. The length of the scope pocket can be compared to the length of the central body54. One comparison can evaluate the relative lengths with both elements measured when non-contracted. A typical non-contracted, roughly centrally positioned along the length of the central body54, might be about forty inches. Terms such as “approximately” or “roughly” allow a deviation in central positioning of several inches either way, or about ten percent of central body length either way. The corresponding non-contracted length of the scope pocket might be about twenty-eight inches, which is seventy percent of the forty inch length of the central body54. It has been found that a scope pocket will provide satisfactory gathering of loose fabric in the central body over a range of comparative length percentages. A satisfactory scope pocket of fifty percent of the central body length, centralized so that the fore and aft ends of the path72each cover about twenty-five percent of the body length, is pulling extra fabric from a position in the center of half the length of the central body54. At sixty percent length, the fore and aft ends of path72each draw from about an end twenty percent of the body length plus about thirty percent of the length directly covered by the scope pocket. Thus, a scope pocket length range from about fifty to seventy percent is desirable. Scope pocket length greater than seventy percent also is desirable, with percentage lengths ranging from eighty to ninety percent of central body length. The position of the scope pocket is preferred to be roughly in the center of the length of the central body, leaving roughly equal fore and aft lenths outside the opposite ends of the path72. With the seventy percent length of the scope pocket, each outside end length is about six inches or fifteen percent of the forty inch length along the top56. With the indicated roughly central longitudinal placement of the scope pocket and with relatively large longitudinal lengths of the scope pocket, the long scope pocket is capable of assisting in control of excess or loose fabric in the central body.

The peripheral base of the scope pocket on the central body is approximately at the level of top edge56. The preferred elastic element is an elastic stretch cord78, shown inFIG.4, which has a central length contained in a fabric passageway that follows path72and has opposite end lengths that extend from the path72and enter a size adjuster76. With reference toFIG.3, the path72is located at the periphery of the lower edge of the scope pocket. The elastic cord can be pulled and stretched by its end lengths to cinch the passageway on path72, thereby drawing-in the peripheral path72. This drawing-in of path72is effective to draw-up and draw together loose fabric in the central body54. In the laid-open view ofFIG.3, the shape of the path72at the lower periphery of the scope pocket is shown to be similar to an oval, centered on top edge56. The elastic contracting element following path72might be an elastic stretch cord or another similarly functional element. The path72is located in an approximately symmetrical position to the line of top edge56.

To demonstrate the effectiveness of contracting the path72, measurements were taken along the line of edge56when the elastic of path72was partially contracted. The scope pocket had contracted length of eighteen inches, reduced from the twenty-eight inch measurement for the non-contracted pocket length. This reduction in length shows that the overall contracted length of the central body54was reduced to thirty inches. With this partial contraction, the contracted length of the scope pocket was reduced to only sixty percent of the remaining contracted length of the central body54at contracted top edge56. Fore and aft portions of the top edge56remained non-contracted with the previously determined lengths of about six inches each, which became twenty percent of the thirty inch length for each.

The measured contraction of elastic path72was only a preliminary contraction, such as might be made prior to entering a rifle into the cover10. After a rifle and scope are in the cover, further contraction could be made to more snugly fit the scope pocket to the size and position of the rifle scope. With the rifle and scope present in the cover, reductions in the length of the scope pocket are less available or unavailable, but the peripheral path72can be cinched tighter by drawing the sides of the path72closer to the scope, which still further pulls loose or excess fabric from the central body54. This further contraction is important because it draws central body into a snug fit around the rifle and scope. The snug fit equates to a snagless fit. Snagging otherwise can result from loose or excess fabric in the central body54.FIG.2serves as an example of a properly drawn-together cover10, which is best understood by comparison of the drawn-together cover10inFIG.2with the large quantity of excess fabric in cover10inFIG.1.

The contracted fabric of the peripheral path72around the scope pocket is illustrated as a zig zag shape of the path72inFIGS.2and3. The path72defines a periphery around the scope pocket as best shown inFIGS.2and3to be a surrounding or peripheral structure around the base of the scope pocket. A suitable form of the contractible path72defines a peripheral passage formed by applying a flexible, passage-forming ribbon over the intended path. The ribbon may be sewn at its longitudinal edges to the fabric of the path72along the side edges of the path72. The passage-forming ribbon is applied to the inside of the fabric of the path72, producing stitch lines74that are viewable from outside the central body as best shown inFIG.1. The path72therefore has a passageway formed along its length between the sewn ribbon on the inside of cover fabric and the cover fabric itself forming the second side of the passage. With elastic stretch cord or other contracting means in place and active to contract the fabric of the peripheral path72, the passageway is contracted into the zig zag shape of path72shown inFIGS.2and3.

In use, the contracted peripheral path72also draws in the fabric of any excess length of the scope pocket34to properly accommodate a rifle scope at any point in the length of the scope pocket. As suggested inFIG.2, the contraction of the peripheral path locates the position of the rifle scope and draws the contractible path around the base of the rifle scope. Drawing in the peripheral passageway is important for eliminating loose fabric that otherwise might snag, which can result from excess fabric in the cover. The user can pre-adjust the scope pocket before setting out on field usage. This can be done by applying the cover of the intended rifle and adjusting a user-adjustable contraction element operating in the peripheral passageway around the base of the scope pocket.FIG.3shows the operating element76at the rear end of the scope pocket, andFIG.4shows an enlarged detail view of the operating element.

The operating element is a snagless size adjuster positioned at the interface of the scope pocket and the central body for conforming the size and position of the scope pocket, in use, to the size and position of a scope on a rifle contained in the cover. As best shown inFIG.4, opposite end portions of a stretch draw cord78exit the contracted pathway72from the opposite two ends of pathway72at the aft end of the oval configuration of the pathway72. The two cord portions78can be handled together. A cord lock80is located near the outlet ends of the pathway and fixed in place to the central body54approximately at top seam56. The two cord portions are passed through the cord lock80, which has both open and locked positions, controlled by movement of a spring-loaded plunger. The plunger head82depresses the plunger to open the lock and allow free passage of the cord, such as to permit the cord portions78to be drawn further out of the two ends of passage72. The plunger head82is released to close the lock under spring force, locking the position of the cord by pinching the cord within the cord lock and thereby fixing the drawn length of the cord.

A snagless feature of the snagless size adjuster isolates the location of the cord to remain at the top of the central body54, such as along top edge56, which is outside the paths of entry and exit movement for the rifle. Likewise, the ends of the cord are located where they cannot exit the central body, such as to dangle from the cover10. At the same time, the snagless feature does not significantly interfere with applying tension or releasing tension at pathway72at the periphery of the scope pocket. To achieve this performance, and to prevent the cord end lengths from sagging, a support panel84is positioned behind the cord lock and is attached to the central body at the top seam56. The support panel is formed of two layers of fabric joined at longitudinal side edges. At a middle line between the side edges, a center divider86separates the support panel84into two longitudinal support passages. The support panel may have a length of about four inches and a width of about two inches, and each support passage may have a width of about one inch. The two cord ends are threaded through separate support passages on the opposite sides of the central divider86. The two-layer support panel is attached by sewing to the inner top of the central body, with the rear end of the support panel at or near the open front46of a butt pocket. The two cord lengths extend from the rear end of the support panel and their terminal ends are then combined into a single pull tab and tension stop88. Due to the placement of the support panel at butt pocket open edge46, the pull tab88tends to stay in the butt pocket, atop the rifle stock28. This placement eliminates the snagging hazard of dangling cords. Because the two cord ends are separated by the central divider86in the support panel and then combined in the pull tab88, the cord ends cannot be inadvertently pulled free of the support panel, where they otherwise might dangle from open slit66.

The cord78used at peripheral path72of the scope pocket can be an elastic stretch cord, which is preferred due to its inherent ability to combine two technologies: drawing and stretching. The elasticity provides a tension reserve and will maintain tension even with minor loosening. The cord at path72is preferred to be sewn into path72, forming a single loop with essentially a single point of exit as suggested byFIGS.3and4, so that the cord ends can be handled in a single cord lock80.

To ensure high durability of cover10, different fabrics are employed at different portions of the cover. The barrel pocket and the butt pocket are constructed of extremely wear resistant, durable fabric. A preferred fabric for this application is Cordura brand ballistic fabric formed of nylon6, 6 filament yarns in a 2×2 basket weave. This fabric has high tenacity and greater than 420 denier. The central body54is constructed of a light weight, flexible fabric that responds well to shaping by elastic cords at the bottom edges of side panels62,64. The chosen fabric also should re-shape easily when drawn by elastic cord in a contracting loop at the periphery of the open bottom of the scope pocket. This latter feature is important for eliminating excess loose fabric that otherwise may lead to snagging. A thin, breathable, polyester fabric is suitable for the central body54. A preferred fabric has an inside coating of a breathable, waterproof thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) coating. Breathable fabric is extremely important for a gun case or cover to avoid storing the gun over a long term with water trapped in the case. The fabric also has durable water repellent (DWR) exterior. By employing a lightweight fabric for the central body of the cover, the entire cover can be self-stored in the butt pocket. Thus, overall, the rifle cover10solves many problems in the art.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be regarded as falling within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims that follow.