Firearms – Implements – Rests
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-23
2001-10-23
Carone, Michael J. (Department: 3643)
Firearms
Implements
Rests
C089S037040
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305117
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a firearm support for sighting and firing shouldered and hand-held firearms. More specifically, the present invention is directed to an improved, collapsible, tripod-type firearm support adapted for field or bench use which allows the user to sight and fire a firearm from various shooting positions.
2. Description of Related Art
Firearm supports date to the beginning of firearms. Early sighting devices comprised a single pole which was used to stabilize the barrel end of a musket. The pole provided minimal stability, but enabled a shooter to more effectively sight and shoot at a target from long distances while in an upright or standing position. Modern derivatives of the pole-type support include telescoping pole-type supports which are adjustable in height; these devices allow a shooter to sight and fire a weapon from various positions, such as standing or kneeling positions.
Firearm sighting devices having a tripod-type support have been utilized for bench and field use. Tripod supports which engage and support a firearm at two points of contact, namely the barrel and butt ends of a firearm, are common. Tripod-type devices provide stability and allow fine elevational adjustment while sighting a firearm. Known tripod sighting devices are typically placed on the ground, or on a shooting bench; however, they do not provide a wide range of vertical adjustment to facilitate a wide range of sighting and firing positions.
Tripod sighting devices configurable for use with both hand-held and shouldered firearms have also been used. Typically, a sighting device of this type has horizontally movable firearm supporting elements to accommodate a shorter length handgun, but does not provide a range of vertical adjustment to accommodate a standing user, particularly if the device is supported on the ground.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,026,057, 5,070,636, 5,081,783, 5,497,575, 5,628,135, U.S. Des. Pat. Nos. 203,680, and 387,123 illustrate prior art tripod-type sighting devices. These tripod-type sighting devices include height adjustment mechanisms for finite vertical adjustment only. Furthermore, some are configurable for use with shouldered and hand-held firearms; however, these patents do not show a tripod-type sighting device which allows a substantial height adjustment to facilitate sighting and firing a firearm from sitting and standing positions.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,345,706 and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 390,301 illustrate firearm supports of the telescoping pole-type; whereas these devices facilitate sighting from various positions, they do not have the stability of a tripod.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,854,066 and U.S. Des. Pat. No. 391,616 disclose rifle rests having a single telescoping support including a firearm cradle which engages a rifle at the barrel and butt ends of a rifle. Again, these devices do not provide the stability of a tripod support.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,414,949 discloses a portable shooting stand having an extensible firearm support; however, only one extensible support is provided and that engages the barrel end only. Finite adjustment is facilitated by moving the free or butt end of the rifle. Also, the device is bulky and not suitable for field use.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is a firearm sighting device for supporting, sighting, and firing both shouldered and hand-held firearms. The firearm sighter is a configurable support having a tripod base and front and rear extensible vertical supports. The extensible supports each include a substantially U-shaped cradle element adapted to engage and support a firearm. The base comprises a generally rectangular beam having front and rear brackets attached thereto. The front bracket is fixedly attached to the forward end of the base and supports foldable legs. The rear bracket is slidable along the base and includes a foot portion. The front legs and rear foot form a tripod support.
In the preferred embodiment, the front and rear extensible supports are nearly identical in structure and are pivotally mounted in the corresponding front and rear brackets. The extensible supports each comprise an outer support element, an inner support element, a threaded rod portion, a thumbwheel, and a substantially U-shaped firearm cradle element. The inner support is slidable within the outer support thereby facilitating a wide range of vertical adjustment. A set screw passes through a threaded aperture at the upper end of each outer support element; turning the set screw urges it toward the inner support, thereby frictionally locking the inner support at a desired height. The inner support houses a thumbwheel and threaded rod. Turning the thumbwheel urges the threaded rod up or down relative to the inner support allowing fine vertical adjustment. A substantially U-shaped firearm support cradle is mounted to the top end of each threaded rod by a screw. A removable foam pad may be placed inside each cradle to cushion a firearm supported by the cradles.
The front and rear brackets allow movement of the extensible supports from a folded position, parallel to the base, to an upright position, perpendicular to the base. Each bracket includes tab portions for limiting travel of the extensible supports past the upright position. Indents on each side of the brackets cooperate with detents in the sides of the front and rear outer support elements. The cooperating indents and detents engage and lock the extensible supports in the upright position. The brackets are arranged facing each other such that the extensible supports can fold inwardly. The front and rear extensible supports are each held in their corresponding bracket via a pin inserted through cooperating apertures in the sides of the brackets and at the sides at the bottom end of each outer support element. The front and rear bracket connecting pin apertures are located at different heights on the front and rear brackets to allow folding of the extensible supports. Folding may be accomplished with the rear bracket located at the rearmost position thereby permitting the fully collapsed front extensible support and cradle element to clear the rear bracket. The fully collapsed rear extensible support can then be folded with the rear cradle clearing the front bracket.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide an improved tripod-type firearm sighting device configurable for sighting and firing shouldered and hand-held firearms from various positions including sitting, kneeling, and standing positions.
It is another object of the invention to provide a sighting device which may be used on a bench support or in the field.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a sighting device which can be collapsed easily for convenient transport.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
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Carone Michael J.
Litman Richard C.
Nguyen Son T.
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