RECOIL PADS INCLUDING GAS CHAMBERS AND A BASE PLATE ASSEMBLY, FIREARMS INCLUDING SUCH RECOIL PADS, AND RELATED METHODS

Abstract

A recoil pad for a firearm includes at least one gas chamber, at least one access port to the gas chamber, and a base plate assembly. The access port retains gas pressure within the gas chamber, and also allows pressurization and depressurization of the gas chamber. The base plate assembly may include a first base plate and the second base plate. The first base plate may at least partially define a surface of the gas chamber. Methods of fabrication of firearms include forming the base plate assembly and attaching such a recoil pad to a stock or grip of a firearm. Methods of using such recoil pads and firearms include the selective pressurization or depressurization of a gas chamber in a recoil pad.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a recoil pad configured for use on a firearm to absorb recoil force experienced upon firing the firearm, to a firearm carrying such a recoil pad, to a base plate assembly for connecting the recoil pad to a firearm, and to methods of making and using such a recoil pad and firearm.

BACKGROUND

A shoulder firearm is a firearm having a firing mechanism and an associated firing chamber, a barrel extending in the forward direction from the firing mechanism and firing chamber, and what is referred to as a “stock” extending in the rearward direction from the firing mechanism. The stock is configured to abut against the shoulder of a person firing the firearm, and is used to assist in supporting and steadying the firearm while aiming and firing the firearm. Shoulder firearms include, for example, rifles, shotguns, muzzleloaders, etc.

Upon firing ammunition from a firearm, the forces generated by the exploding gun powder force the bullet or other projectile(s) in the forward direction through the barrel, but also force the firearm in the opposite, backward direction toward the body of the person firing the firearm. The force acting on the firearm in the backward direction is referred to in the art as the “recoil force,” and the movement of the firearm in the backward direction responsive to the recoil force is referred to simply as “recoil.”

Recoil forces of a shoulder firearm can be significant enough to cause pain and/or injury (e.g., bruising) to a person firing the shoulder firearm, especially when using ammunition having relatively high firing power and/or when firing numerous rounds of ammunition over a relatively short period of time. It is known in the art to provide what is referred to in the art as a “recoil pad” on the end surface of the stock of a shoulder firearm in an effort to reduce such pain and injury. Recoil pads are commonly formed of a material, such as rubber, that is softer and more flexible than the material of the stock, which usually comprises wood, metal, or a relatively rigid polymeric material. A few different methods for attaching recoil pads to the stock of a firearm are known in the art. For example, recoil pads can be attached to a single plate adjacent the buttstock of a firearm with adhesive, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,461,813 to Mazzola. As another example, recoil pads can be attached directly to the buttstock of a firearm with screws, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 488,855 to R. Townsend. In such examples, when the material used in the recoil pad, such as rubber, wore out, a complete new recoil pad was required.

Some other recoil pads use a bladder filled with air and having an outer membrane. The membrane was, in turn, attached to a single plate adjacent the buttstock of a firearm with adhesive or vulcanization. In such examples, when the membrane wore out due to use, a complete new recoil pad was required. Furthermore, these membrane and bladder combination recoil pads consistently failed at maintaining air pressure after firing of the firearm. As a result, these membrane and bladder combination recoil pads failed in the marketplace.

BRIEF SUMMARY

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form. These concepts are described in further detail in the detailed description of example embodiments of the disclosure below. This summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed subject matter.

In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes a recoil pad configured to be attached to a firearm. The recoil pad may include an elastomeric body that at least partially defines at least one gas chamber. The recoil pad may further include at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber. The at least one access port may be configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port. The recoil pad may further include a base plate assembly that has a first base plate and a second base plate.

In additional embodiments, the present disclosure includes a firearm that may include a stock or grip extending from a firing mechanism. The stock or grip may be configured to abut against a body of a person firing the firearm. The firearm may also include a recoil pad disposed on the stock or grip, the recoil pad including an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber and having at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber. The at least one access port may be configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad during use of the firearm and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port. The recoil pad may further include a base plate assembly that is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body of the recoil pad and has a first base plate and a second base plate.

In yet further embodiments, the present disclosure includes a method of manufacturing a recoil pad for attachment to a stock or grip of a firearm. The method may include forming an elastomeric body that at least partially defines at least one gas chamber and providing at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber. The at least one access port may be configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port. The method may further include forming a base plate assembly having a first base plate and a second base plate and enclosing the first base plate at least partially within the elastomeric body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a shoulder firearm that includes a recoil pad as described herein.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a recoil pad of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the recoil pad of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a recoil pad of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The illustrations presented herein are not meant to be actual views of any particular recoil pad, firearm, or component thereof, but are merely idealized representations that are used to describe embodiments of the disclosure.

As used herein, the term “proximal,” when used in relation to a firearm or a component of a firearm, means proximate or nearer to the body of a person firing the firearm. As used herein, the term “distal,” when used in relation to a firearm or a component of a firearm, means remote or farther from the body of a person firing the firearm.

FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a shoulder firearm 100 that includes a recoil pad 102 having one or more gas chambers therein, as described in further detail below. In some embodiments, the gas pressure within the one or more gas chambers may be selectively adjusted by a user. In some embodiments, the recoil pad 102 may include two or more gas chambers, and the gas pressure in at least one gas chamber may differ from the gas pressure in at least one other gas chamber. In other embodiments, the gas pressure in the gas chambers may be the same.

The shoulder firearm 100 illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises a shotgun that is configured to fire shotshell type ammunition, although the shoulder firearm 100 may comprise any type of shoulder firearm in other embodiments. For example, the firearm 100 may comprise a rifle or a muzzle loader in other embodiments. The shoulder firearm 100 includes a central body 104 comprising a firing mechanism, a stock 106, and a barrel 108. The central body 104 has a firing chamber therein, as well as a firing mechanism for firing ammunition within the firing chamber. The firing mechanism includes a trigger 110 and associated components, such as a firing pin or a hammer, which will depend upon the type of the firearm 100. The stock 106 extends proximally from the central body 104 of the firearm 100 toward the body of a person using the firearm 100. The barrel 108 extends distally from the central body 104 of the firearm 100 away from the body of a person using the firearm 100.

The stock 106 has a proximal end 112 that is configured to abut against a shoulder of a person firing the shoulder firearm 100. As previously mentioned, the stock 106 may be used to assist in supporting and steadying the firearm 100 while aiming and firing the firearm 100. The stock 106 may comprise a rigid material such as wood, metal, or a rigid polymeric material.

The recoil pad 102 is disposed on the proximal end 112 of the stock 106, such that the recoil pad 102 is disposed between the shoulder of a person firing the firearm 100 and the proximal end 112 of the stock 106. The recoil pad 102 may be used to reduce (e.g., eliminate) pain and injury that might result from the recoil forces generated upon firing the shoulder firearm 100. The recoil pad 102 optionally may be configured to allow repeated attachment to and detachment from, the proximal end 112 of the stock 106.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of the recoil pad 102 of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the recoil pad 102 of FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the recoil pad 102 may include an elastomeric body 114 and a base plate assembly 128 attachable to the elastomeric body 114. The elastomeric body 114 may define at least partially at least one gas chamber 132 within an interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114. The elastomeric body 114 may have a closed end 103, an open end 105 opposite the closed end 103, one or more columns 119 of elastomeric material extending through the elastomeric body 114, at least one annular flange 140 connected to the one or more columns 119, and a peripheral flange 142. Furthermore, the base plate assembly 128 of the recoil pad 102 may be at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body 114 while defining at least a portion of the at least one gas chamber 132 and may form a gas tight seal with the elastomeric body 114.

The elastomeric body 114 may comprise a material that exhibits a relatively low modulus of elasticity and a relatively high yield strain. By way of example and not limitation, the elastomeric body 114 may comprise a rubber material such as polyisoprene, polybutadiene, polychloroprene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile, silicone, or a fluoropolymer, or a copolymer of two or more such materials.

The one or more columns 119 of elastomeric material may be disposed within the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114 and may extend from the closed end 103 to the open end 105 of the elastomeric body 114. The elastomeric body 114 may include one or more holes 118 extending through the one or more columns 119 of the elastomeric body 114, and one or more corresponding fasteners, such as screws 120, may be inserted through the holes 118 and into the proximal end 112 (FIG. 1) of the stock 106 (FIG. 1). The screws 120 may include threads that engage internal surfaces of the stock 106 (FIG. 1) in such a manner as to prevent retraction of the screws 120 out from the stock 106 (FIG. 1) without deliberate rotation of the screws 120. In other embodiments, the recoil pad 102 may be permanently attached to the proximal end 112 (FIG. 1) of the stock 106 (FIG. 1) using, for example, an adhesive, and may not include any holes 118 for receiving fasteners (e.g., screws 120). Each column of the one or more columns 119 may include a distal end 152 opposite the closed end 103 of the elastomeric body 114 and proximate the open end 105 of the elastomeric body 114. The distal end 152 of each column of the one or more columns 119 may include the annular flange 140 extending along an outer circumference of each column 119 and extending outward from each column 119. Furthermore, the elastomeric body 114 may further include the peripheral flange 142, which extends along an inner perimeter of the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114 proximate the open end 105 of the elastomeric body 114. The annular flange 140 of each distal end 152 of each column of the one or more columns 119 may include a planar end surface 150a, 150b. The peripheral flange 142 of the elastomeric body 114 may include an additional planar end surface 150c. The planar end surfaces 150a, 150b may be coplanar with the additional planar end surface 150c.

The base plate assembly 128 may comprise a material that is relatively rigid compared to the elastomeric body 114. For example, the base plate assembly 128 may comprise a metal, wood, or a relatively rigid polymer material, such as a thermoplastic material or an epoxy material. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, in some embodiments, the base plate assembly 128 may include at least a first base plate 129 and a second base plate 131. The first and second base plates 129, 131 may be fastened together to form the base plate assembly 128. The base plate assembly 128 may be attached to the open end 105 of the elastomeric body 114. The base plate assembly 128 may be attached the elastomeric body 114 by compressing (e.g., squeeze, press, clamping) portions (i.e. the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142) of the elastomeric body 114 between the first base plate 129 and the second base plate 131, described in further detail below. The base plate assembly 128 may be disposed on the side of the recoil pad 102 adjacent the stock 106 and may assist in attachment of the recoil pad 102 to the stock 106.

In some embodiments, when the base plate assembly 128 is attached to the elastomeric body 114, the first base plate 129 may be at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body 114 while the second base plate 131 may remain exterior to the elastomeric body 114. In other words, the first base plate 129 of the base plate assembly 128 may be inserted into the open end 105 of the elastomeric body 114. Furthermore, when the base plate assembly 128 is attached to the elastomeric body 114, the one or more annular flanges 140 and the peripheral flange 142 may be at least partially disposed between the first and second base plates 129, 131 such that a gas tight seal may be formed between the base plate assembly 128 and the elastomeric body 114.

For example, the first base plate 129 may have a substantially planar shape and may include a first major inner surface 134 and a second major outer surface 136, wherein the first major inner surface 134 and the second major outer surface 136 are generally parallel. When at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body 114, the first major inner surface 134 of the first base plate 129 may face the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114 such that the first major inner surface 134 defines at least a portion of the at least one gas chamber 132. The first base plate 129 may also include one or more apertures 144, one or more annular grooves 146, and a peripheral groove 148. The one or more apertures 144 may extend through the first base plate 129 and may be sized and shaped to permit a corresponding column of the one or more columns 119 of the elastomeric body 114 to extend therethrough when the first base plate 129 is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body 114.

The one or more annular grooves 146 and peripheral groove 148 may be defined by the second major outer surface 136 of the first base plate 129 and may be sized and shaped to receive the annular flanges 140 of the one or more columns 119 of the elastomeric body 114 and the peripheral flange 142 of the elastomeric body 114, respectively. For example, the second major outer surface 136 may define an annular groove 146 corresponding to each aperture of the one or more apertures 144 extending through the first base plate 129, and each annular groove 146 may surround a circumference of a corresponding aperture of the one or more apertures 144. In other words, each aperture of the one or more apertures 144 may have a corresponding annular groove 146, wherein each aperture of the one or more apertures 144 and corresponding annular groove 146 are oriented in a concentric fashion. The second major outer surface 136 of the first base plate 129 may further define the peripheral groove 148, which extends in a loop proximate an outer periphery of the first base plate 129 and corresponds to the peripheral flange 142 of the elastomeric body. When the first base plate 129 is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body 114, portions of the annular flanges 140 and the peripheral flange 142 may at least partially fit into the one or more annular grooves 146 and peripheral groove 148, respectively.

Furthermore, in some embodiments, when the first base plate 129 is at least partially enclosed within the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114, the second major outer surface 136 of the first base plate 129 may be substantially flush or coplanar with the planar end surfaces 150a, 150b of each annular flange 140 and the additional planar end surface 150c of the peripheral flange 142. In other embodiments, the second major outer surface 136 of the first base plate 129 may be sunken within the elastomeric body 114 such that the second major outer surface 136 is not flush with the planar end surfaces 150a, 150b of each annular flange 140 and the additional planar end surface 150c of the peripheral flange 142. In such embodiments, a distance between the second major outer surface 136 of the first base plate 129 and the closed end 103 of the elastomeric body 114 may be smaller than a distance between the planar end surfaces 150a, 150b of each annular flange 140 and the additional planar end surface 150c of the peripheral flange 142 and the closed end 103 of the elastomeric body 114.

The second base plate 131 may include a plurality of apertures 154 extending therethrough. Furthermore, the second base plate 131 may be attachable to the first base plate 129 with a plurality of fasteners, such as screws 151, extending though the plurality of apertures 154 in the second base plate 131 and engaging the first base plate 129. In such embodiments, the screws 151 may include threads that engage internal surfaces of the first base plate 129 in such a manner as to prevent retraction of the screws 151 out from the first base plate 129 without deliberate rotation of the screws 151. In other embodiments, the second base plate 131 may be permanently attached to the first base plate 129 using, for example, an adhesive, and may not include any apertures 154 for receiving the screws 151.

The second base plate 131 may be attachable to the first base plate 129 while the first base plate 129 is enclosed within the elastomeric body 114. When the second base plate 131 is attached to the first base plate 129 and when the first base plate 129 is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body 114, the second base plate 131 may abut against the planar end surfaces 150a, 150b of each annular flange 140 and the additional planar end surface 150c of the peripheral flange 142. In such embodiments, the one or more annular flanges 140 of the one or more columns 119 and the peripheral flange 142 of the elastomeric body 114 may be disposed between the first base plate 129 and the second base plate 131. Furthermore, in embodiments where the second base plate 131 is attached to the first base plate 129 and the second major outer surface 136 of the first base plate 129 is sunken within the elastomeric body 114 (as described above), the first base plate 129 and the second base plate 131 may press against (e.g., squeeze, compress, clamp) the one or more annular flanges 140 and the peripheral flange 142 of the elastomeric body 114 such that a gas tight seal is formed between the first base plate 129 and the elastomeric body 114, thus, forming at least one gas chamber 132, which is gas tight.

Attaching the elastomeric body 114, which may comprise, for example rubber, to the base plate assembly 128, which may comprise a rigid material, by compressing the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142 between the first and second base plates 129, 131 may provide advantages over other methods of attaching an elastomeric body to a rigid plate, such as, adhesive or fasteners.

For example, attaching a flexible elastomeric body to a rigid base plate with adhesive may cause the adhesive and resulting connection area of the flexible elastomeric body (portion of the elastomeric body adhered to the rigid base plate) to experience concentrations of stress when the flexible elastomeric body is pressurized (i.e. gas chamber inside of the elastomeric body pressurized). In other words, when a gas chamber within the flexible elastomeric body is pressurized, the flexible elastomeric body may tend to stretch (e.g., expand) due to the increased pressure. However, along the connection area, the elastomeric body would be restrained from expanding due to the adhesive and direct connection to a rigid base plate. Therefore, the adhesive would have to withstand any stress associated with retaining the flexible elastomeric body against the rigid base plate, in addition, to any stress associated with preventing the connection area of the flexible elastomeric body adhered to the rigid base plate from expanding. Such increased stresses may cause the flexible elastomeric body to partially or completely separate from the rigid base plate. On the other hand, by removing the need for adhesive and by attaching the elastomeric body 114 to the base plate assembly 128 by compressing the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142 between the first and second base plates 129, 131, the previously described increased stresses may be reduced or nonexistent. Furthermore, the connection between the elastomeric body 114 and base plate assembly 128 may be able to withstand higher pressures within the elastomeric body 114 than a connection of adhesive.

As another example, attaching a flexible elastomeric body to a rigid base plate with fasteners, such as screws, extending through holes in the flexible elastomeric body, may cause increased stress concentrations and separation of the flexible elastomeric body from the rigid base plate. For example, attaching the flexible elastomeric body to a rigid base plate with screws would allow portions of the flexible elastomeric body between the screws to bulge against the rigid base plate when a gas chamber within the flexible elastomeric body is pressurized. Bulging of the flexible elastomeric body against the rigid base plate would place additional stress on the areas of the flexible elastomeric body immediately surrounding the screws. Furthermore, upon continued pressure, the holes in the flexible elastomeric body through which the screws extend would likely stretch and expand, such that, the heads of the screws could slip through the holes and separate the flexible elastomeric body from the rigid base plate. On the other hand, attaching the elastomeric body 114 to the base plate assembly 128 by compressing the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142 between the first and second base plates 129, 131, may reduce the likelihood of the elastomeric body 114 detaching from base plate assembly 128 by increasing the area (e.g., annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142) at which the elastomeric body 114 is attached to the base plate assembly 128. Furthermore, by having the first base plate 129 define a portion of the at least one gas chamber 132, any problem of the elastomeric body 114 bulging against the base plate assembly 128 and pushing the elastomeric body 114 away from the baseplate assembly is removed.

In some embodiments, the elastomeric body 114 may be readily detachable and re-attachable to the base plate assembly 128. For example, a user may be able to switch between different elastomeric bodies 114 having different characteristics such as, for example, stiffness, shape, material, weight, color, design, texture, pressure limit, and size. Thus, attaching the elastomeric body 114 to the base plate assembly 128 by compressing the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142 between the first and second base plates 129, 131, may provide an advantage over other methods of attachment by allowing a user to switch between different elastomeric bodies 114 for comfort or preference. Furthermore, attaching the elastomeric body 114 to the base plate assembly 128 by compressing the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142 between the first and second base plates 129, 131, may provide an advantage by allowing a user to replace a worn out elastomeric body 114 without having to replace the base plate assembly 128.

In some embodiments, the elastomeric body 114 may not define any portion of a gas chamber but, rather, may be substantially solid. For example, the elastomeric body 114 may comprise a solid rubber material. In such embodiments, the substantially solid elastomeric body 114 may include a cavity sized and shaped to receive a first base plate, similar to the first base plate 129 previously discussed but absent the one or more apertures and one or more annular grooves. The substantially solid elastomeric body 114 may further include a peripheral flange 142, similar to the peripheral flange 142 previously discuss, such that the substantially solid elastomeric body 114 may be attached to a base plate assembly in substantially the same manner as previously discussed.

In other embodiments, the elastomeric body 114 may have an interior similar to the interior 138 previously discussed but with a foam pad disposed therein. In such embodiments, the foam pad may leave sufficient space such that a first base plate similar to the first base plate 129 previously discussed may be disposed at least partially within the interior of the elastomeric body 114. The elastomeric body 114 containing the foam pad may further include a peripheral flange 142, similar to the peripheral flange 142 previously discuss, such that the elastomeric body 114 containing the foam pad may be attached to a base plate assembly in substantially the same manner as previously discussed.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the second base plate 131 may include one or more holes 180 that correspond to the one or more holes 118 extending through the one or more columns 119 or the elastomeric body 114. The holes 180 may permit the screws 120 to extend therethrough and to connect the recoil pad 102, including the base plate assembly 128, to the proximal end 112 (FIG. 1) of the stock 106 (FIG. 1).

The recoil pad 102 may further include at least one access port 172 extending through an exterior wall 126 of the elastomeric body 114 to the at least one gas chamber 132 enclosed therein. The at least one access port 172 may be configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber 132 of the recoil pad 102, and to also allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber 132 by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber 132 through the at least one access port 172. In some embodiments, the access port 172 may comprise a valve.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of a recoil pad 102 of the present disclosure. As shown in FIG. 4, the recoil pad 102 may include an elastomeric body 114 and a base plate assembly 128 similar to the recoil pad 102 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. However, the elastomeric body 114 may include multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d defined by one or more walls 160 within the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114. In some embodiments, the elastomeric body 114 may include two or more gas chambers. In other embodiments, the elastomeric body 114 may include three or four or more gas chambers. For purposes of the present disclosure, the elastomeric body 114 is described as having four gas chambers. When the recoil pad 102 includes multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d, the first base plate 129 may include multiple plates 168a, 168b, 168c, 168d. For example, in some embodiments, the first base plate 129 may include the multiple plates 168a, 168b, 168c, 168d, each of which corresponds to one of the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d. In such embodiments, the elastomeric body 114 may include the one or more walls 160, which separate the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114 into the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d. Each wall 160 may include an end 162 opposite the closed end 103 of the elastomeric body 114 and proximate the open end 105 of the elastomeric body 114. The end 162 of each wall of the one or more walls 160 may include an end flange 164 similar to the annular flanges 140 and peripheral flange 142 (previously discussed in reference to FIGS. 2 and 3), which may be squeezed or compressed between the second base plate 131 and the multiple plates comprising the first base plate 129 when the second base plate 131 is attached to the multiple plates comprising the first base plate 129. When the end flange 164 of each wall of the one or more walls 160, the annular flanges 140, and the peripheral flange 142 are compressed between the second base plate 131 and multiple plates 168a, 168b, 168c, 168d comprising the first base plate 129, a gas tight seal may be formed between the multiple plates 168a, 168b, 168c, 168d and the elastomeric body 114, thus, forming the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d.

In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more walls 160 may be connected to or extend from the one or more columns 119 of the elastomeric body 114. For example, a wall 160 may extend from opposite sides of a single column of the one or more columns 119 and may extend to and connect to an exterior wall 126 of the elastomeric body 114, as shown in FIG. 4. In other embodiments, the at least one of the one or more walls 160 may not connect to or extend from the one or more columns 119 but may extend from one portion of the exterior wall 126 of the elastomeric body 114, through the interior 138 of the elastomeric body 114, and to another portion of the exterior wall 126 of elastomeric body 114. In some embodiments, the second base plate 131 may include multiple plates. In such embodiments, the second base plate 131 may include a same number of plates as the first base plate 129. In other embodiments, the first and second base plates 129, 131 may have a differing number of plates.

In some embodiments, the one or more walls 160 may include at least one hole extending therethrough to allow gas to flow between two or more of the gas chambers of the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d. In other embodiments, the one or more of walls 160 may not include any holes extending therethrough. In such embodiments, each gas chamber of the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d may include a respective access port 172 similar to the access port described above such that each gas chamber of the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c, 158d may be selectively pressurized and depressurized, as described above. In other embodiments, the multiple gas chambers 158a, 158b, 158c. 158d may be sealed gas chambers that cannot be selectively pressurized and depressurized by a user of the firearm 100. Further, a first gas pressure within a first gas chamber may be different from a second gas pressure within a second gas chamber. The gas pressures in the two or more gas chambers may be determined and set at the time of manufacture of the recoil pad 102, and each of the gas pressures may be greater than or equal to atmospheric pressure.

By providing a recoil pad 102 having a stiffness that may be selectively adjusted as described herein, one or more gas chambers within the recoil pad 102 may be selectively pressurized or depressurized. The recoil pad 102, while disposed on the end of the stock 106 of the firearm 100, may be abutted against the shoulder of a person and the person may fire the firearm 100. The gas pressure within the one or more gas chambers then may be increased or decreased to the liking of the person using the firearm 100, and the recoil pad 102 and the firearm 100 may again be abutted against the shoulder of the person and the firearm 100 may be fired.

Although the recoil pads discussed previously herein are configured to be attached to an end of a stock of a shoulder firearm, in additional embodiments, recoil pads as described herein may be used with other types of firearms, such as handguns and other firearms that include a hand grip.

The example embodiments of the disclosure described above do not limit the scope of the invention, since these embodiments are merely examples of embodiments of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Any equivalent embodiments are intended to be within the scope of this invention. Indeed, various modifications of the disclosure, in addition to those shown and described herein, such as alternate useful combinations of the elements described, will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the description. Such modifications and embodiments are also intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A recoil pad configured to be attached to a firearm, the recoil pad comprising:

an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber;

at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber, the at least one access port configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port; and

a base plate assembly comprising a first base plate and a second base plate.

2. The recoil pad of claim 1, wherein the recoil pad includes two or more discrete gas chambers, each gas chamber of the two or more discrete gas chambers having a respective access port for independently selectively pressurizing and depressurizing each of the two or more discrete gas chambers.

3. The recoil pad of claim 2, wherein the two or more discrete gas chambers comprises four discrete gas chambers.

4. The recoil pad of claim 1, wherein the first base plate of the base plate assembly is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body and the second base plate of the base plate assembly is exterior to the elastomeric body.

5. The recoil pad of claim 1, wherein the elastomeric body has at least one column of elastomeric material extending from a closed end of the elastomeric body to an open end of the elastomeric body, the at least one column of elastomeric material having a annular flange extending along an outer circumference of the at least one column and extending away from the at least one column, and wherein the annular flange is oriented between the first base plate and the second base plate.

6. The recoil pad of claim 5, the elastomeric body further comprising a peripheral flange extending along an inner perimeter of the elastomeric body proximate the open end of the elastomeric body.

7. The recoil pad of claim 6, wherein the first base plate and the second base plate are configured to compress the annular flange of the at least one column and the peripheral flange of the elastomeric body and to form a gas tight seal.

8. The recoil pad of claim 1, wherein the first base plate of the base plate assembly comprises two or more individual plates.

9. A firearm, comprising:

a stock or grip extending from a firing mechanism, the stock or grip configured to abut against a body of a person firing the firearm;

a recoil pad disposed on the stock or grip, the recoil pad including an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber and having at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber, the at least one access port configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad during use of the firearm and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port; and

a base plate assembly at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body of the recoil pad and comprising a first base plate and a second base plate.

10. The firearm of claim 9, wherein the recoil pad includes two or more discrete gas chambers, each gas chamber of the two or more discrete gas chambers having a respective access port for independently selectively pressurizing and depressurizing each of the two or more discrete gas chambers.

11. The firearm of claim 10, wherein the two or more discrete gas chambers comprises four discrete gas chambers.

12. The firearm of claim 9, wherein the elastomeric body of the recoil pad includes a plurality of flanges that extend at least partially between the first base plate and the second base plate and connect the elastomeric body to the base plate assembly.

13. The firearm of claim 9, wherein the first base plate of the base plate assembly is at least partially enclosed within the elastomeric body and the second base plate of the base plate assembly is exterior to the elastomeric body.

14. The firearm of claim 9, wherein the elastomeric body of the recoil pad includes at least one column of elastomeric material extending through an interior of the elastomeric body and an aperture extending through the at least one column of the elastomeric body of the recoil pad, and wherein the recoil pad is attached to the stock or the grip using a fastener extending through the aperture and into the stock or the grip of the firearm.

15. The firearm of claim 9, wherein a surface of the first base plate of the base plate assembly at least partially defines the at least one gas chamber.

16. A method of manufacturing a recoil pad for attachment to a stock or grip of a firearm, the method comprising:

forming an elastomeric body at least partially defining at least one gas chamber;

providing at least one access port extending through a wall of the elastomeric body to the at least one gas chamber, the at least one access port configured to retain gas pressure within the at least one gas chamber of the recoil pad and to allow selective pressurization and depressurization of the at least one gas chamber by moving gas into and out from the at least one gas chamber through the at least one access port; and

forming a base plate assembly having a first base plate and a second base plate and enclosing the first base plate at least partially within the elastomeric body.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming the recoil pad to include two or more discrete gas chambers.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising providing each gas chamber of the two or more discrete gas chambers with a respective access port for independently selectively pressurizing and depressurizing each of the two or more discrete gas chambers.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising enclosing the first base plate at least partially within the elastomeric body such that a surface of the first base plate at least partially defines the at least one gas chamber.

20. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

attaching the elastomeric body to the base plate assembly by attaching the second base plate to the first base plate with fasteners such that a plurality of flanges of the elastomeric body are compressed between the second base plate and the first base plate;

forming a gas tight seal between the elastomeric body and the first base plate; and

forming the at least one gas chamber.