Vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest |
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申请号 | US11414395 | 申请日 | 2006-04-28 | 公开(公告)号 | US07536820B2 | 公开(公告)日 | 2009-05-26 |
申请人 | Tony Wade; Mark Colding; | 发明人 | Tony Wade; Mark Colding; | ||||
摘要 | Disclosed are vehicle-mounted, collapsible systems for securing, supporting or resting a firearm. A representative embodiment includes a firearm rest, a vertical member and a horizontal member. The horizontal member is connectable to a vehicle hitch. The vertical member firearm rest are collapsible into a substantially parallel configuration relative to the horizontal member. | ||||||
权利要求 | Having thus described the invention, at least the following is claimed: |
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说明书全文 | This application claims priority to copending U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/677,789, filed on May 4, 2005, which is entitled, “Tailgate Rifle Rest” and is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. The present disclosure is generally related to firearms and, more particularly, collapsible systems for supporting a firearm. Ensuring the accuracy of a rifle's sighting instrument, such as a scope or other open-sight device, can be a difficult and even potentially dangerous proposition. Historically, hunters and other shooters have sighted in their rifle by firing test rounds to a target at a known distance. Oftentimes, the shooter will position the rifle at a stationary point, which, as a nonlimiting example, may be across the hood of a vehicle or in the tailgate area. Because the vehicle body upon which the rifle is positioned is not designed for receipt of the rifle, the shooter has to find a firing position that provides stability for accurately sighting in the scope or other sighting device. As a nonlimiting example, if a shooter elects to position the rifle across the hood of a vehicle, the shooter may choose to rest the rifle on a soft surface, such as a jacket or other article of clothing, positioned on top of the hood so as to provide a suitable firing position. Likewise, a shooter may position the rifle on a portion of the back area or sidewall of a truck bed so as to create the desired stationary position. In each of these instances, a shooter generally cannot necessarily create the same shooting position with each fired round, so as to most accurately sight in the scope. This consequence introduces error and uncertainty into the sighting process. Situations also exist wherein a rifle or other sighting device may be so grossly out of sight such that the barrel of the rifle is pointed into a direction other than the intended target area during the sighting process. In at least one nonlimiting example, if a rifle scope were so significantly misaligned such that the rifle barrel is pointed into a downward direction, the shooter could unknowingly fire the rifle into the truck hood, other portion of the vehicle, or any other undesired area, which may cause damage to property and/or, even worse, injury to person. Further, there exist devices in the marketplace which may be used to stabilize or aim a firearm that can be mounted to the rear of a vehicle, often to a vehicle's hitch. However, such devices are often bulky and can consume much of the space in a truck's bed or storage area. Alternatively, it may be such that the device be transported while attached to a vehicle's hitch while fully or partially extended and/or assembled, which provides that the device occupy the vehicle's hitch, eliminating its use for the hauling of other items. Thus, there is a heretofore unaddressed need to overcome at least the deficiencies and shortcomings described above. Embodiments of the present disclosure provide vehicle-mounted, collapsible systems for securing, resting or supporting a firearm. In one embodiment, an apparatus for supporting a firearm includes a telescoping horizontal member having a first end and a second end, the telescoping horizontal member may be connectable at the first end to a vehicle hitch. The embodiment further includes a telescoping support member, the telescoping support member is coupled to the telescoping horizontal member by a member coupler. The telescoping support member further includes a longitudinal axis and is configured to be adjustably rotatable about the longitudinal axis. The telescoping support member is also further configured to be adjustably rotatable about the member coupler. The embodiment also includes a firearm rest having a horizontal cross-member. The firearm rest is coupled to the telescoping support member by a firearm rest coupler. The firearm rest is adjustably rotatable about the firearm rest coupler. In the embodiment, the telescoping support member and the firearm rest are configured to be collapsible onto the telescoping horizontal member by rotating the telescoping support member and the horizontal cross-member into a substantially parallel configuration relative to the telescoping horizontal member. Reference will now be made to the drawings. While the disclosure will be provided in connection with these drawings, there is no intent to limit the disclosure to the embodiment or embodiments disclosed herein. On the contrary, the intent is to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents. Disclosed herein are systems for a vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest. An embodiment of the disclosure includes a telescopic horizontal member configured to mate with a tailgate hitch. An embodiment further includes a telescopic support member design to adjustably attach to the telescopic horizontal support member. An embodiment also includes a firearm rest adjustably attached to the telescopic support member. Reference will now be made to Telescoping horizontal member 15 is configured to receive sliding member 17 such that one or more holes 19 on each of members 15 and 17 line up to the desired extended position from vehicle 12. Pins can be employed in conjunction with one or more holes 19 to secure the desired extended position from vehicle 12. As a nonlimiting example, pins may be inserted between the holes on member 15 and one of the rightmost holes on member 17 to move the tailgate rifle rest closer to the vehicle 12 for a smaller sized shooter. Conversely, the rightmost holes of member 17 may be positioned away from member 15 so that the tailgate rifle rest is configured for a larger-sized user of the system. Member 17 is coupled to a member coupler 22 which, in this nonlimiting example, is configured at approximately a 90-degree angle relative to member 17 in one nonlimiting example. However, one of ordinary skill in the art would know that other angles could also be used. Member coupler 22 may be configured to mate telescoping horizontal member 17 and telescoping support member 24 in an adjustable configuration. Member coupler 22 in this nonlimiting example contains two securing holes 25 and 26 to lock telescoping support member 24 into a position approximately 90 degrees relative to member 17 as well, which also is but one nonlimiting example, among others. In this regard, telescoping support member 24 is adjustably attached to horizontal support member 17 such that the relative angle between the two members can be varied. Telescoping support member 24 may be further configured in this non-limiting example as a cylindrical member that is rotatable about a longitudinal axis of the member 24. This allows a user to rotate the member 28, as discussed below, in a substantially parallel direction relative to the ground in order to vary the horizontal aiming properties of the vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10. It should be appreciated that pin holes 25, 26 may be used to secure member 24 to member coupler 22. As an additional nonlimiting example, member 24 may have a square section that couples to member coupler 22 via pins through pin holes 25 and 26. Furthermore, member 24 may have a cylindrical section at the end that couples to sliding member 28. Thus, member 24 may be fabricated with both a square and cylindrical section to provide stability and range of motion, as one of ordinary skill would appreciate. Sliding member 28 may be configured to receive member 24 so as to create the telescoping nature and adjustable height configuration of the telescoping support member 24 for users of the system of differing heights. As discussed above, sliding member 28 may rotate around member 24, which may be cylindrical for the portion that mates with sliding member 28. Sliding member 28 may likewise be connected to firearm rest coupler 34, which may be coupled to member 28 at pin position 33. One of ordinary skill in the art should appreciate from Firearm rest coupler 34 is likewise coupled to cross-member 43 of the firearm rest, which itself is coupled to members 45 and 47. Member 47 is essentially a vertical member that is itself coupled to rests 53 and 55, which are configured to receive the buttstock of a firearm. More specifically, the buttstock of a firearm may be configured to rest against member 55 so as to absorb any recoil action when firing. In the depicted embodiment, member 55 is configured as a vertical member to absorb recoil of the firearm, and member 55 further assists in preventing potential variations in firearm positioning caused by sudden movements of a firearm due to recoil. Conversely, member 45 may be connected to extender bar 49 and rest 48, which may be configured to receive a forward portion of the firearm, such as the forward handle or barrel. As depicted, member 45 can be configured as a telescoping adjustable member to allow a user to vary the height and aim of the firearm, depending on the size of the user and the targets at which the user wishes to aim. As noted above, telescoping support member 24 allows a user to adjust the horizontal aiming properties of the apparatus 10, and member 45 can allow the user to adjust the vertical aiming properties of the apparatus 10, giving a user of the system a substantially full range of motion for aiming a firearm used in conjunction with the vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10. Cross-member 43, as well as front and rear firearm support members 45, 47, are rotatably adjustable relative to member 28. As noted above, a removable pin can be inserted in pin hole 33 to secure the firearm rest in place relative to member 28. If such a removable pin is removed from pin hole 33, members 43, 45, and 47 may be rotatably adjustable about hinge 70, which may assist in providing collapsible functionality of the vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10, and is described in further detail hereinafter. Also shown in According to the vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10 described above, members 15 and 17 extend essentially horizontally from the rear portion of vehicle 12, as coupled to vehicle hitch 13. Similarly, members 28 and 24 are configured to extend essentially vertically so that the shooter may position a firearm in receiving portions 48, 53, and 55. Reference is now made to This nonlimiting example in Reference is now made to Finally, adjustable knob 29 is shown in this figure for controlling the height of the tailgate rifle rest relative to support telescoping support member 24. As described above, the vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10 may be coupled to the vehicle hitch 13 of vehicle 12 so that a rifle may be positioned in receivers 48 and 53 for target practice, sighting in a rifle scope, or even other firing activities, as one of ordinary skill in the art would know. The adjustability of tailgate rifle rest 10 as described above via the various adjustment devices and slidable members, enables tailgate rifle rest 10 to be utilized by virtually any shooter of any age or size. Upon removal of pin 26 of Pin 33 may be removed such that swing member 34 may be detached from supporting member 28 and repositioned in hole 16 of member 15, as shown in The vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10, 11 as described herein, may be constructed of any material as one of ordinary skill in the art would know. Metals, plastics, and other composites may be utilized for the vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10, 11 so as to support a firearm and any stresses introduced by the shooter. Moreover, one of ordinary skill in the art would know that a combination of materials may be utilized for the various components as described above, of vehicle mounted collapsible firearm rest 10. It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments and nonlimiting examples are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles disclosed herein. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiment(s) and nonlimiting examples without departing substantially from the spirit and principles disclosed herein. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims. |