Compact gun safe

Abstract

A gun safe for storing guns in a generally upright position is provided. The gun safe comprises an interior compartment which is defined by a top wall, one or more side walls, and a bottom wall. The top wall has at least one opening through the top wall to provide support for a barrel of a gun positioned within the gun safe, with the barrel extending through the opening to the exterior of the gun safe.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/543,791, filed on Feb. 11, 2004.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a device for storing guns. In particular, the present invention relates to a gun safe for storing at least one gun in a generally upright position.

When procuring a gun safe it is important to select a safe that maximizes the utilization of space and provides easy access to the guns stored within the confines of the safe. Some problems associated with conventional gun safes include situations where the guns are poorly secured, storage potential is underutilized, and excessive effort and time is expended in storing and retrieving guns. Additionally, difficulty in accessing and retrieving stored firearms may result in damage to the guns from nicking or striking against each other and the interior of the gun safe.

Accordingly, there exists a need for a gun storage device that is compact and which securely stores guns while allowing easy access to the guns. The present invention fills these needs as well as other needs.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In order to overcome the above stated problems and limitations there is provided a gun safe for storing at least one gun in a generally upright position. The gun safe comprises an interior compartment defined by a bottom wall, one or more side walls, and a top wall. The compact element of the gun safe can be provided by including in the top wall at least one opening through the top wall to provide support for a barrel of a gun positioned within the gun safe in a generally upright position, with the gun barrel extending through the opening to the outside of the interior compartment. By configuring the gun safe to allow the barrel of a stored gun to protrude from within the gun safe, a more compact gun safe is possible.

The concept of the gun safe can be applied to a cabinet for storing at least one upstanding item in a generally upright position. Such a cabinet comprises an interior compartment defined by a bottom wall, one or more side walls, and a top wall. As above, the top wall has at least one opening through the top wall to provide support for an upstanding item positioned within the cabinet in a generally upright position, with the upstanding item extending through the opening to the outside of the interior compartment. Such a cabinet is compact in design, and yet allows secure storage and easy access to the upstanding items.

Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows, and will in part become apparent to those in the practice of the invention, when considered with the attached figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and are to be read in conjunction therewith, wherein like reference numerals are employed to indicate like parts in the various views, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of a gun safe with openings in the top wall to provide support for the barrel of a gun;

FIG. 2 is a front perspective view of a safe like the one shown in FIG. 1 with eight guns placed therein and with the door in an open position to reveal the interior compartment;

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the safe shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a front view of the safe of FIG. 2 with the door in a closed position;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the safe taken along 5-5 in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the safe taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 2 showing a recess in the upper surface of the bottom wall to receive the butt of the gun, and further showing a storage compartment;

FIG. 7a is a top view of an opening in the top wall showing an over/under double barrel gun positioned in the opening;

FIG. 7b is a top view of an opening in the top wall showing a side by side double barrel gun positioned in the opening; and

FIG. 7c is a top view of an opening in the top wall showing a single barrel gun positioned in the opening.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIGS. 1-4, there is shown a gun safe 10 which comprises an interior compartment 20 defined by a bottom wall 30, four side walls 50, 52, 53, and 54, and a top wall 60. Top wall 60 has openings 66 that are defined in top wall 60 that provide support for a barrel 70 of a gun 744 positioned within gun safe 10. In use, and as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a butt 72 of gun 74 rests on bottom wall 30 of interior compartment 20, and barrel 70 extends through opening 66 in top wall 60 to the exterior of gun safe 10, resulting in the gun being positioned in a generally upright position. By extending the barrel of the gun through top wall 60, gun safe 10 can be more compact than many other gun safes, since the entire length of the guns stored therein are not enclosed within interior compartment 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, openings 66 in top wall 60 are formed by having top wall 60 consist of a first portion 62 and a second portion 64, and by positioning the two portions 62, 64 of top wall 60 adjacent to one another. Edges 80 and 82 of the first and second portions 62, 64, respectively, are contoured so that positioning the two portions 62, 64 adjacent to one another defines openings 66. Preferably, openings 66 approximate the shape of a gun barrel 70. In one embodiment openings 66 conform to the shape of gun barrel 70 whether barrel 70 is of a single barrel type or double barrel type. Since double barrel types of guns can have barrels side by side or over/under, opening 66 may be roughly shaped like a clover to accommodate either arrangement of double barrels, as best seen in FIGS. 7a-7c. In particular, FIG. 7a shows opening 66 with an over/under double barrel 70 positioned therein, FIG. 7b shows opening 66 with a side by side double barrel 70 positioned therein, and FIG. 7c shows opening 66 with a single barrel 70 positioned therein.

In order to accommodate the placement of guns 74 within gun safe 10, and to accommodate their easy retrieval from gun safe 10, gun safe 10 is provided with a door 90. Door 90 may be removable, or pivotally coupled to one or more of the side walls and may be equipped with a locking mechanism 94 to prevent unauthorized entry into interior compartment 20 of gun safe 10. The configuration of door 90 can vary, but in one embodiment door 90 is one portion of the top wall. Door 90 may be removable, or hinged to a side wall for easy opening. When facing the front of gun cabinet 10, the top can be hinged to the front side wall, or the left or right side wall. As best seen in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5, the door 90 configuration can also be such that first portion 64 of top wall 60 is integrally-formed with an upper portion 92 of front side wall 52 to form door 90. This door configuration can also be removable, or hinged to allow opening of door 90. When facing the front of gun cabinet 10, door 90 may be hinged to lower portion 96 of front side wall 52. In this situation, upper portion 92 of front side wall 52 is integral with the second portion 64 of the top wall 60. In addition, door 90 may be hinged to an adjacent side wall 50, 54, such as a top edge 58 of right side wall 50 or a top edge 56 of left side wall 54.

In order to most readily facilitate the placement of guns 74 within gun safe 10 and the retrieval of guns 74 from gun safe 10, it is most advantageous to have door 90 of gun safe 10, when opened, allow access to interior compartment 20 at a height of less than 36 inches, and preferably at a height of about 24 inches from the bottom wall of the gun safe.

As best seen in FIG. 6, in order to maintain the placement of guns 74 positioned within gun safe 10, gun safe 10 can further include one or more recesses 110 in upper surface 40 of bottom wall 30 which conform in shape to the shape of a gun butt 72. Gun safe 10 may further include rods 100 or other retaining means positioned between guns when guns are positioned in gun safe 10, as best seen in FIGS. 2 and 5. A fastening strap may also be included which can pass through the triggers of guns 74 positioned within gun safe 10, further holding the guns in the position in which they were placed.

As should be readily apparent, any of the surfaces within interior compartment 20 may include a protective lining to cushion any gun positioned within gun safe 10. Such protective lining could be made from felt or foam or rubber or any other suitable protective material. The protective lining would help to further prevent the guns from scratches or nicks, and can be either a separate piece or integrally attached to the surfaces of the walls forming interior compartment 20.

In order to accommodate storage of other equipment and accessories in the gun safe, such as ammunition, gun cleaning supplies, and the like, gun safe 10 may further include a storage compartment defined within or positioned exterior to the interior compartment of gun safe 10. If positioned within interior compartment 20 and not within reach of the door, a second door may be provided to allow access to the storage compartment, in which case the second door can also be equipped with a locking mechanism. Referring to FIG. 6, the storage compartment 120 if positioned exterior to interior compartment 20 of gun safe 10 is preferably placed underneath bottom wall 30 of interior compartment 20, and can again include its own door 140 and locking mechanism.

In use, door 90 to gun safe 10 is opened and one or more guns may be placed within interior compartment 20 of gun safe 10. Butts 72 of guns 74 are placed on upper surface 40 of bottom wall 30, or preferably in recess 110 in upper surface 40, barrels 70 of guns 74 are positioned against first portion 62 of top wall 60, and door 90 may then be closed. The closing of door 90 positions second portion 64 of top wall 60 adjacent to first portion 62, forming openings 66 which conform to the shape of gun barrels 70, and barrels 70 of guns 74 which are positioned within gun safe 10 extend from openings 66 to the exterior of gun safe 10. Safe door 90 may then be secured, as with locking mechanism 94, to prevent access to the stored guns.

Having thus described the gun safe of the subject invention with reference to the figures, the invention further provides a cabinet for storing at least one upstanding item in a generally upright position. Such upstanding items could include, for example, fishing rods, or archery bows, or other items that are generally amenable to being stored in an upright position. The cabinet for storing at least one upstanding item in a generally upright position comprises an interior compartment defined by a bottom wall, one or more side walls, and a top wall. The top wall has at least one opening therein to provide support for the upstanding items when they are positioned within the cabinet in a generally upright position. The upstanding item then extends through the opening in the top wall to the outside of the interior compartment. As with the gun safe described above, in one embodiment the top wall has two portions which when positioned adjacent to one another define the openings through the top wall. Furthermore, in one embodiment one of the two portions of the top wall is integral with a top portion of a side wall to form a door. Furthermore, in one embodiment the door is hinged to a lower portion of the side wall to allow opening of the cabinet. Where desired, the cabinet can further comprise a locking mechanism.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown, it will be understood, of course, that the invention is not limited thereto, since modifications may be made by those skilled in the art, particularly in light of the foregoing teachings. Reasonable variation and modification are possible within the scope of the foregoing disclosure of the invention without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A gun safe for storing at least one gun in a generally upright position, said gun safe comprising:

an interior compartment defined by a bottom wall, one or more side walls, and a top wall, wherein the top wall has at least one opening defined in the top wall to provide support for a barrel of a gun positioned within the gun safe in a generally upright position, the barrel extending through the opening to outside of the interior compartment.

2. The gun safe of claim 1, wherein said top wall has a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first and second portions are positioned adjacent to one another to define the at least one opening through the top wall.

3. The gun safe of claim 2, wherein one of said first and second portions of said top wall form a door that is hinged to the gun safe to allow access to the interior compartment of said gun safe.

4. The gun safe of claim 3, wherein the door is hinged to one of the side walls.

5. The gun safe of claim 2, wherein one of said first and second portions of said top wall is integrally formed with an upper portion of the side wall to form a door.

6. The gun safe of claim 5, wherein said door is hinged to a lower portion of said side wall to allow access to the interior compartment of said gun safe.

7. The gun safe of claim 5, wherein said door is hingedly coupled with an adjacent side wall to allow access to the interior compartment of said gun safe.

8. The gun safe of claim 7, wherein said door is hinged to a top edge of the adjacent side wall to allow access to the interior compartment of said gun safe.

9. The gun safe of claim 5, wherein the upper portion of said side wall forming said door is about the upper one third of said side wall.

10. The gun safe of claim 9, wherein said door hinge is positioned about 24 inches from the bottom wall of the gun safe.

11. The gun safe of claim 1, wherein the bottom wall has an upper surface for contacting the butt of the gun positioned within the gun safe in a generally upright position.

12. The gun safe of claim 11, wherein at least one recess is formed in the upper surface of the bottom wall, wherein the at least one recess conforms to the shape of a gun butt.

13. The gun safe of claim 1, wherein said opening conforms to the shape of a gun barrel.

14. The gun safe of claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism.

15. The gun safe of claim 1, further comprising a protective lining on one or more of the bottom wall, one or more side walls, and top wall within the interior compartment to cushion a gun positioned within the gun safe in a generally upright position.

16. The gun safe of claim 1, further comprising at least one fastening strap within the interior compartment for retaining a gun with a barrel that extends through the opening to the outside of the interior compartment.

17. The gun safe of claim 1, further comprising a storage compartment defined within or positioned exterior to the interior compartment.

18. The gun safe of claim 17, wherein said storage compartment is lockable.

19. A gun safe for storing at least one gun in a generally upright position, said gun safe comprising:

an interior compartment defined by a bottom wall, one or more side walls, and a top wall, wherein the top wall has at least one opening through the top wall to provide support for a barrel of a gun positioned within the gun safe in a generally upright position, the barrel extending through the opening to outside of the interior compartment;

wherein said top wall has a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions are positioned adjacent to one another to define the at least one opening through the top wall;

wherein one of said first and second portions of said top wall is integral with an upper portion of a side wall to form a door; and

wherein the door is hinged to a lower portion of said side wall to allow opening of said gun safe.

20. The gun safe of claim 19, further comprising a locking mechanism.

21. A cabinet for storing at least one upstanding item in a generally upright position, said cabinet comprising:

an interior compartment defined by a bottom wall, one or more side walls, and a top wall, wherein the top wall has at least one opening through the top wall to provide support for an upstanding item positioned within the cabinet in a generally upright position, the upstanding item extending through the opening to outside of the interior compartment.

22. The cabinet of claim 21, wherein said top wall has a first portion and a second portion, the first and second portions are positioned adjacent to one another to define the at least one opening through the top wall, wherein one of said first and second portions of said top wall is integrally formed with an upper portion of a side wall to form a door, and wherein the door is hinged to a lower portion of said side wall to allow access to the interior compartment of said cabinet.

23. The cabinet of claim 21, further comprising a locking mechanism.