Gillespie sporting equipment mount

Abstract

A device designed to be screwed into a tree or other wooden object and used to mount sporting equipment including optical equipment—such as a spotting scope, telescope, binoculars, or other optical equipment—or to mount firearms.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE To RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of a Provisional Patent Application, Application No. 60/510,219, filing date of Oct. 9, 2003.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

This application is not based on any federally sponsored research and development.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

There are many devices designed to allow a person to attach sporting equipment, including optical equipment such as spotting scopes, cameras, binoculars, or firearms to a tree or other wooden object. All of these prior designs utilize cumbersome and complex straps, wires, or other similar attaching means. These complex attaching means make the previous designs difficult to carry into the field, difficult to install securely, difficult to remove efficiently, and subject to increased maintenance problems.

The Gillespie Sporting Equipment Mount is superior to all these previous designs in that it is designed to provide:

• • a compact size allowing it to easily fit in or on the smallest backpack, daypack, or fanny-pack, and can even be easily attached to the users' belt for easy access;
  • a rock solid attachment to the tree or other wooden object; and
  • extreme simplicity of use. It requires no assembly and has no part that requires adjustment.

The following patents have all been reviewed and the Gillespie Sporting Equipment Mount is superior to all devices in that it is extremely compact in size, lightweight, and uses no attaching means other than the self-contained screw on one end of the shaft which makes it extremely easy to use. This provides a device that maximizes portability while minimizing cumbersome and complex straps as in the competing devices listed below.

Pat. No.	NAME	DATE
6,726,163	Eppard	Apr. 27, 2004
6,349,905	Mills	Feb. 26, 2002
6,021,984	Mills	Feb. 08, 2000
5,622,342	Mills	Apr. 22, 1997
5,310,151	Engel	May 10, 1994
4,913,391	Klipp	Apr. 03, 1990

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the Gillespie Sporting Equipment Mount comprises a plurality of components. In their broadest context, such components include:

• • A shaft, tube, rod, or other similar elongated piece of material suitable for the below stated purpose;
  • Such shaft having two ends;
  • Affixed to one end of such shaft is a screw;
  • Such screw protrudes laterally from the shaft along the shafts' longitudinal axis and protrudes to such an extent that the shaft can be securely screwed into a tree or other wooden object;
  • A flange, perpendicular to the shaft, and located at the shaft/screw interface. Such flange used to provide stability for the unit when it is screwed into the tree or other wooden object
  • A “cover” can be used for the screw when the device itself is not in use;
  • Affixed to the opposite end of the shaft from the screw is a standard fixed or adjustable optical mount or a “U” shaped gun mount described below;
  • The shaft can continue through the optical mount for a distance that will enable the protruding end of the shaft to be used to stabilize the device as its being screwed into the tree;
  • The device can also combine both the optical mount and gun mount so that, between the screw end of the shaft and the optical mount, the shaft is bent or fabricated into a “U” shape in such a manner as to accept the forward stock of a rifle or other gun.
  • The Sporting Equipment Mount is made of such material as to be lightweight and durable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows the shaft, on one end of which is the screw and on the other end is located standard adjustable optical mount.

FIG. 2 shows the shaft with the rigid stabilizing flange.

FIG. 3 shows the shaft continuing past the optical mount for a sufficient distance to allow the protruding end of the shaft to be used to stabilize the shaft as it is being screwed into the tree.

FIG. 4 shows the shaft, on one end of which is the screw and on the other end is located a “U” shaped bend to hold a firearm.

FIG. 5 shows the combined optical mount and gun mount. Specifically, including the shaft, on one end of which is the screw and on the other end is located the optical mount, with the “U” shaped bend located between the two ends of the shaft.

FIG. 6 shows a cover to be used positioned on the screw when the device is not in use.

FIG. 7 shows the device screwed into a tree.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the Gillespie Sporting Equipment Mount comprises a plurality of components. Such components are individually configured and correlated with respect to each other to provide a device that can be used to mount sporting equipment, including optical equipment such as spotting scopes, binoculars, cameras, or other optical devices, and to mount firearms while shooting. Specifically:

• • The screw cover (FIG. 6) is removed from the screw and can placed on the end of the shaft that protrudes through the standard mount;
  • The screw is placed on a tree or other suitable object and the entire device is screwed into the tree so that the stabilizing flange is placed directly against the tree and the device extends horizontally from the tree; (FIG. 7.)
  • For the embodiment not-containing the “U” shaped gun mount, a handle can be located on the shaft for ease of screwing the device into a tree;
  • For the embodiment containing the “U” shaped gun mount, the “U” shaped bend is used as a handle with which to screw the device into the tree. (FIGS. 4 and 5.)
  • A spotting scope or other optical device is placed on the standard mount; (FIGS. 1, 2, and 3.)
  • For the combined optical mount and gun mount (FIG. 5.), after a suitable target has been located with the scope, the forward stock of a gun is placed into the “U” shape of the device to stabilize the gun while shooting;
  • After use, the device is removed from the tree by un-screwing; and
  • The screw cover is replaced.

While there is shown and described herein certain specific structures comprising aspects of the invention, it will be manifest to those skilled in the art that various modifications and rearrangements of the parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the underlying invention concept, and that the same is not limited to the particular forms herein shown and described except insofar as indicated by the scope of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A portable device to hold and improve the aiming of sporting equipment comprising:

a. a shaft, tube, rod, or other similar elongated piece of material of such strength and durability to be suitable for the below stated purpose (shaft);

b. such shaft having two ends;

c. affixed to one end of such shaft is a screw of such dimensions to allow the screw to be readily and securely screwed into a tree or other wooden object;

d. such screw protrudes laterally from the shaft along the shafts' longitudinal axis and protrudes to such an extent that the shaft can be securely screwed into a tree or other wooden object;

e. affixed to the opposite end of the shaft from the screw is a standard fixed or adjustable optical mount; (FIG. 1.)

2. The device in claim 1 where a rigid stabilizing flange, perpendicular to the shaft, is located at the screw-shaft interface. (FIG. 2.)

3. The device in claim 1 or 2 where the shaft continues through the optical mount for a distance that will enable the protruding end of the shaft to be used to stabilize the device as its being screwed into the tree; (FIG. 3.)

4. The device in claim 1 or 2 where, instead of the standard optical mount, the end of the shaft opposite from the screw is bent or fabricated into a “U” shape in such a manner as to accept the forward stock or barrel of a firearm. (FIG. 4.)

5. The device in claims 1, 2, or 3 where, between the screw end of the shaft and the optical mount, the shaft is bent or fabricated into a “U” shape in such a manner as to accept the forward stock or barrel of a firearm. (FIG. 5.)

6. The device in claim 4 or 5 where the “U” shaped bend in the shaft is covered with a soft material to protect the finish of the firearm.

7. The device in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 where a “cover” is provided for the screw when the device itself is not in use. Such cover is designed to be placed on the end of the shaft protruding through the optical mount described in claim 2. (FIG. 6.)