GUN STOCK HAVING MEMORIAL CYLINDER HOUSED THEREIN AND METHOD OF MEMORIALIZING

Abstract

Provided herein are a gun stock having a memento cylinder for receipt of a reminder of a deceased person or pet and a method of memorializing a deceased person or pet within a gun stock. The reminder may be the cremated remains of the deceased loved one or may be an article belonging to the deceased. The memento cylinder includes an end cap, which may include a glass viewing port through which the contents may be seen. The gun stock also includes a mechanism for limiting movement of the memento cylinder within the gun stock. The cylinder may be engraved with the name or initials, birth and death dates or years, a likeness of the deceased, or other information about, or messages honoring, the deceased. The gun stock permits a hunter to memorialize the deceased by hunting with, or displaying, a gun outfitted with the memento cylinder.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to memento containers and particularly to a container for mementos that is configured to fit within a gun stock. In a first instance, the memento may be the cremated remains of a loved one. In another instance, the memento may be an object or article belonging to the loved one (e.g., a lock of hair, fabric from a favorite garment, etc.). A method of memorializing a deceased loved one through the use of such a memento container is also provided. Alternately, the memento cylinder may house an object or item belonging to the gun owner, such as a hunting license, in which case the cylinder may function as a multi-purpose storage container.

BACKGROUND

Hunting is an avocation enjoyed by millions and often shared between family members. For example, fathers and their children may use hunting expeditions as an occasion to spend time together. Whether it be the early morning rising, the hours spent together during the hunt, the cleaning of the game, or more mundane tasks such as cleaning a gun or shopping for hunting gear, the activities associated with hunting result in a strong bond between hunting partners. In some instances, the hunting partner is a beloved hunting dog or horse.

Understandably, after sharing countless hours engaged in this pursuit, a hunter may be devastated by the death of his hunting companion. In many cases, the hunting companion (human or animal) may be laid to rest in a burial plot, where family members may later visit to pay their respects. In other instances, the hunting companion may be cremated, in which case the family members may opt to preserve the ashes in a cremation urn or a cremation memorial.

Many cremation memorials have been designed to honor the deceased, including urns such as those shown in, for example, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D356,422 and D360,732. The urns may be displayed in the home of a family member or friend as a reminder of the deceased. In many cases, the urns may made of brass, bronze, or some other material that may be engraved with the name or other information (such as birth date and death date) of the loved one.

Other cremation memorials have been designed for functional purposes for the keeper of the memorial. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,029,373 describes a flower vase whose base functions as a container for the cremated remains of a loved one. U.S. Pat. No. 5,208,957 describes a piece of jewelry, such as a pendant, that is configured to hold a small container of ashes. U.S. Pat. No. 5,815,897 preserves the cremated remains in a cremation chamber that forms the base of a cylindrical planter box.

Yet other cremation containers have been designed to reflect the interests of the deceased. For example, U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D356,421 and D370,767 provide urns in the form of lawn ornaments that include images of dolphins and waves. U.S. Design Pat. Nos. D370,766 and D370,768 provide cremation storage in the form of lawn ornaments that include images of deer and trees. U.S. Pat. No. 6,662,416 discloses a cremation remains housed within an artificial underwater reef system, possibly for a scuba enthusiast or the environmentally conscious decedent. U.S. Pat. No. 6,988,299 provides a cremation storage container, which is formed within an engine block or engine cylinder, for the automotive enthusiast. Finally, U.S. Design Pat. No. D524,510 provides a baseball bat urn, in which the knob of the bat is unscrewed and the remains poured into a cavity inside the bat.

Further, when the deceased has chosen to be buried rather than cremated, the surviving family members may also wish for a container to house a keepsake as a reminder of the deceased. The keepsake may be a lock of hair, fabric from a favorite article of clothing, or the like. Ordinarily, such items may be preserved in a trunk, a hope chest, or perhaps a shadow box. However, none of these locations provides the avid sportsman with a way to continue feeling connected with the deceased, particularly during hunting experiences that previously had been shared.

Thus, while many of the aforementioned resting places are creative and may provide an appropriate tribute for the deceased, none provides the type of loving testament that a devoted hunter desires for his faithful companion, be that companion another person or a pet, such as a dog or horse.

SUMMARY

Provided herein are a gun stock having a memento cylinder therein for receipt of a reminder of a deceased person or pet and a method of memorializing a deceased person or pet within a gun stock. In one instance, the reminder, or memento, may be the cremated remains of the deceased loved one. In another instance, the memento may be an article or item belonging to the deceased. The memento cylinder includes an end cap, which may include a glass viewing port through which the contents may be seen. The gun stock also includes a mechanism for limiting movement of the memento cylinder within the gun stock. The cylinder may be engraved with the name or initials, birth and death dates or years, a likeness of the deceased, or other information about, or messages honoring, the deceased.

The present gun stock permits a hunter to cherish the memories of the deceased and to honor those memories by continuing to include the deceased in future hunting activities by carrying the reminder, or memento, of the deceased within the gun itself. Alternately, the hunter may choose simply to display the gun as a tribute (for example, by hanging the gun over a fireplace mantle or on a wall).

The method of memorializing includes the steps of providing a gun stock having a bolt cavity therethrough; providing a memento cylinder for housing a reminder of a loved one, the memento cylinder being sized to fit within the bolt cavity and being outfitted with an end cap, and further providing a mechanism for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity; transferring the memento of the loved one into the memento cylinder and sealing the cylinder; and inserting the memento cylinder into the bolt cavity and covering the bolt cavity with a butt plate. The memento may be the cremated remains of the deceased or an object or article belonging to the deceased. The method may further include engraving the cylinder with information about the loved one and securing the gun stock to a receiver.

Alternately, the cylinder may be used to house an object or item of importance to the hunter, such as a hunting license, in which case the cylinder functions as a multi-purpose storage container that is readily transported within a gun stock.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a gun, which shows the gun stock in cross-section;

FIG. 2 is cross-sectional view of the side of a gun stock, which shows a memento cylinder installed therein;

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the memento cylinder of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an isometric, exploded view from the rear of a gun, particularly showing a butt plate and the memento cylinder of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 illustrates a generic shotgun or rifle assembly 10 having a gun stock 12 and a receiver 20. The receiver 20 includes a barrel 25, a trigger 27, and the like associated therewith. The gun stock assembly 30 has an elongate body, or gun stock, 12 through which a bolt cavity 14 is drilled, the gun stock assembly 30 further including a butt plate 16 and a nut 26. The gun stock 12 is attached to the receiver 20 by a bolt 22 that extends from the receiver 20 and over which the gun stock 12 is positioned. A nut 26, which secures the gun stock 12 to the receiver 20, may be accessed (e.g., for tightening or loosening) through the bolt cavity 14. The bolt cavity 14 is covered by a butt plate 16 that forms a finished end of the gun 10.

FIG. 2 shows a gun stock assembly 130 in which the present memento cylinder, or canister, 150 is inserted. As described briefly above, a forward end 113 of the gun stock 112 may be secured to the receiver 120 by sliding the gun stock 112 onto a bolt 124 extending from the receiver 120 and then tightening the nut 126 on the bolt 124. The bolt 122 is sized to fit within a bolt shaft 124 that is an extension of the bolt cavity 114, but which has a smaller diameter than the bolt cavity 114.

The memento cylinder 150, as will be discussed further herein, may be filled with the ashes of the deceased, or with an object or article belonging to the deceased. Alternately, the cylinder 150 may house an object of importance or interest to the hunter (for example, a hunting license), in which case the cylinder 150 acts as a storage device that is transportable within the gun stock 112.

After the cylinder 150 has been filled, the cylinder 150 may be inserted into the bolt cavity 114 through the rearward end 121 of the gun stock 112. Once the memento cylinder 150 is positioned, the butt plate 116 may be bolted or screwed to an exposed end 123 of a rearward end 121 of the gun stock 112, thus covering the bolt cavity 114 and the exposed end 123 of the gun stock 112. Typically, the butt plate 116 is made of, or includes, rubber or another polymeric material for shock absorption and/or metal or another durable material.

The memento cylinder, or canister, 150 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3. The memento cylinder 150 is a canister having an open end configured for receipt of an end cap 152. The memento cylinder 150 may be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, plastic, aluminum, glass, gold, brass, bronze, stainless steel, or gun quality metal (e.g., blued steel). Where concerns exist over the weight of the gun 110, the cylinder 150 may be made of plastic or aluminum. In instances where the hunter prefers to be able to see the contents (170, as in FIG. 4) of the cylinder 150, the cylinder 150 may be made of a transparent, or at least translucent, material, such as glass.

The memento cylinder 150 may be sized to fit the bolt cavity of a particular gun. For most common gun stocks, the bolt cavities may house memento cylinders 150 having a length from about 3 inches to about 5 inches and a diameter of from about ¼ inch to about 1¼ inch; however, the memento cylinder 150 is not limited to these exemplary dimensions and may be modified according to particular gun stocks.

The memento cylinder 150 includes an end cap 152. According to one aspect, the end cap 152 may include a compressible O-ring (not shown) therein and may be wrench-tightenable to form an air-tight seal. Alternately, instead of a screw cap, the end cap 152 may be a snap-on cap, a plug-type cap, a cap having compressible ribbed fins, or any other suitable type of cap that forms a tight seal. In those instances when the memento cylinder 150 is comprised of a metal, the end cap 152 may be permanently attached to the memento cylinder 150, for example, by welding. Alternately, for any type of cylinder, the end cap 152 may be permanently secured using an adhesive compatible with the material of the cylinder.

When a screw-type cap is used (as illustrated), the initial hand-tightening of the end cap 152 may be facilitated by providing the memento cylinder 150 with a machined knurled section 158 that provides an area for gripping the memento cylinder 150, while the cap 162 is being applied. The knurled section 158 may be located on an end opposite, or distal to, the end cap 152; however, the location of the knurled section 158 may vary. In addition, more than one knurled section 158 may be provided. Further, the knurled section 158 may extend over a majority of the surface of the memento cylinder 150, perhaps leaving only a small smooth area for inscription (as will be described below).

If desired, the end cap 152 may be fitted with a glass viewing port 153 (as shown in FIG. 4). The glass viewing port, or sight glass, 153 permits the contents 170 of the memento cylinder 150 to be viewed without having to remove the memento cylinder 150 from the bolt cavity 114 or without having to remove the end cap 152. It is further contemplated that, regardless of the material used to produce the memento cylinder 150, the butt plate 116 may be made of a transparent material, so that the memento cylinder 150 may be visible.

Between the end cap 152 and the optional knurled section 158 is an area 156 suitable for inscription. The inscription area 156 may include the name or initials of the deceased, the deceased's birth and death dates or years, and/or a message to or about the deceased (e.g., “Beloved Father,” “Faithful Companion,” or “Rest in Peace”). The inscription area 156 may also, or instead, include an artist's rendering of a likeness of the deceased loved one, particularly if the loved one is a pet.

Also provided as part of the present disclosure are means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder 150 within the bolt cavity 114. Such means prevent the memento cylinder 150 from rattling within the cavity 114 while the gun is being used, thus reducing the likelihood of the game being startled and of the hunter being distracted. These movement-limiting means may be part of the memento cylinder 150 or may be separate from the memento cylinder 150 or may include one component that is part of the memento cylinder 150 and another component that is separate from the memento cylinder 150. FIG. 3 illustrates two such movement-limiting means—an O-ring 154 and a compressible spring 162—which are part of the memento cylinder 150 and which may be used individually or in conjunction with each other or in conjunction with other movement-limiting means, such as soft wadding within cavity 114 about memento cylinder 150 (not shown).

The O-ring, or compressible gasket, 154 fits around the memento cylinder 150 to prevent side-to-side movement within the bolt cavity 114. The memento cylinder 150 may further include a groove (not shown) that is adapted to hold such an O-ring 154. If desired, more than one O-ring 154 may be used in spaced relation along the length of the memento cylinder 150.

The compressible spring 162 has a spring constant and may be sized to engage a tapered end 160 of the memento cylinder 150. The other end of the spring 162 engages the nut 126 used to secure the gun stock 112 to the receiver (as shown in FIG. 2). Pressured by the spring constant, this dual engagement presses the memento cylinder 150 against the butt plate 116 (also as shown in FIG. 2), preventing the memento cylinder 150 from up-and-down movement within the bolt cavity 114.

Other mechanisms for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder 150 within the bolt cavity 114 may include packing material or other mechanical means, such as interlocking clips or magnets. For example, packing material (such as cotton) may be wrapped around the memento cylinder 150 or may be pushed into the bolt cavity 114 after the memento cylinder 150 has been inserted. Another approach may be to use a magnet that is fitted onto the tapered end 160 of the memento cylinder 150, such that the magnet engages the nut 126 within the bolt cavity 114. Alternately, or additionally, the butt plate 116 may be fitted with a magnet, and the end cap 152 or perimeter of the end cap 152 may be fitted with a complementary magnet or may be made of a metal that is capable of being attracted by a magnet. Various other methods, as may be contemplated by those of skill in the art, may also or instead be used for this purpose.

The method of memorializing a deceased loved one may include (a) providing a gun stock having a bolt cavity therethrough; (b) providing a sealable cylinder, or canister, having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity, the sealable cylinder having an end cap, and further providing a mechanism for limiting the movement of the cylinder within the bolt cavity; (c) transferring a memento of the deceased loved one into the cylinder and sealing the cylinder; and (d) inserting the cylinder into the bolt cavity and covering the bolt cavity with a butt plate. The method may further include engraving the cylinder, or canister, with information relating to the loved one and connecting the gun stock to a corresponding receiver. Additionally, the method may include hunting with, or displaying, the assembled gun containing the memento cylinder.

This method may be better understood with reference to FIG. 4, which shows the butt end of a gun 110. The rearward end 121 of the gun stock 112 includes a bolt cavity 114 into which the memento cylinder, or canister, 150 may be inserted. Once the memento cylinder 150 is inserted, a butt plate 116 may be used to cover the exposed end 123 of the gun stock 112 (including the bolt cavity 114) and to secure the memento cylinder 150. Screws 118, 118′ may be inserted through the butt plate 116 and into corresponding apertures 128, 128′ in the gun stock 112 that are adapted for receipt of the screws 118, 118′.

Thus installed, the cremated remains of a loved one, or the keepsake of the loved one, may be preserved and cherished indefinitely. More importantly, the hunter whose gun has been outfitted with the present memento cylinder has the satisfaction and warmth of continuing to share hunting experiences with his loved one or of preserving his loved one in a manner reflective of the loved one's interests. Such a tribute lovingly commemorates the passage of a hunting companion, whether that companion is another person or a pet, such as a dog or a horse.

Claims

1. A gun stock assembly for memorializing a deceased loved one, the gun stock assembly comprising

a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;

a memento cylinder for housing a memento of the deceased loved one, the memento cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity and being housed within the bolt cavity, the cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the memento cylinder;

means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity; and

a butt plate attached to the rearward end of the gun stock to cover the bolt cavity.

2. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento comprises the cremated remains of the loved one.

3. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento comprises an object belonging to the loved one.

4. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento cylinder is comprised of a material selected from the group consisting of plastic, aluminum, glass, gold, brass, bronze, stainless steel, and blued steel.

5. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento cylinder is transparent.

6. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento cylinder has a length of from about 3 inches to about 5 inches and a diameter of from about ¾ inch to about 1¼ inch.

7. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento cylinder includes an area for inscription with at least one of the name of the deceased, the initials of the deceased, the birth date and death date of the deceased, the birth year and death year of the deceased, a message about the deceased, a message to the deceased, and a likeness of the deceased.

8. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento cylinder comprises a knurled section disposed apart from the end cap.

9. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the memento cylinder further comprises a tapered end.

10. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the end cap of the memento cylinder includes a glass viewing port.

11. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the butt plate is transparent.

12. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the movement-limiting means comprises an O-ring positioned around the memento cylinder.

13. The gun stock of claim 12, wherein the memento cylinder includes a groove for receipt of the O-ring positioned therearound.

14. The gun stock of claim 1, wherein the movement-limiting means comprises a compression spring.

15. The gun stock of claim 14, wherein the memento cylinder comprises a tapered end, the tapered end being fitted with a first end of the compression spring.

16. The gun stock of claim 15, wherein the movement-limiting means further comprises an O-ring positioned around the memento cylinder.

17. A gun stock assembly for memorializing a deceased loved one, the gun stock assembly comprising

a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;

a memento cylinder for housing a memento of the deceased loved one, the memento cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity and being housed within the bolt cavity, the cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the memento cylinder, the end cap including a glass viewing port;

means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity; and

a butt plate attached to the rearward end of the gun stock to cover the bolt cavity.

18. A gun stock assembly comprising:

a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture therethrough, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;

a cylinder for housing an object, the cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity and being housed within the bolt cavity, the cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the cylinder, the end cap including a glass viewing port;

means for limiting the movement of the cylinder within the bolt cavity; and

a butt plate attached to the rearward end of the gun stock to cover the bolt cavity.

19. A method of memorializing a deceased loved one, the method comprising:

providing a gun stock having a forward end, a rearward end, and an aperture drilled therethrough from the forward end to the rearward end, the aperture defining a bolt shaft at the forward end and a bolt cavity at the rearward end, the forward end of the gun stock being attachable to a receiver;

providing a memento cylinder having dimensions to fit within the bolt cavity, the memento cylinder comprising an end cap for sealing the memento cylinder, and further providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder within the bolt cavity;

transferring a memento of a deceased loved one into the memento cylinder and sealing the memento cylinder; and

inserting the memento cylinder into the bolt cavity and attaching a butt plate to the rearward end of the gun stock.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder comprises providing an O-ring around the memento cylinder to limit the side-to-side movement of the memento cylinder.

21. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of providing the memento cylinder with a tapered end opposite the end cap.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the step of providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder comprises providing a compressible spring around the tapered end of the memento cylinder to push the memento cylinder against the butt plate.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the step of providing a means for limiting the movement of the memento cylinder further comprises providing an O-ring around the memento cylinder to limit the side-to-side movement of the memento cylinder.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of engraving the memento cylinder with at least one of the name of the deceased, the initials of the deceased, the birth date and death date of the deceased, the birth year and death year of the deceased, a message about the deceased, a message to the deceased, and a likeness of the deceased.

25. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of securing the gun stock to a receiver to form a gun assembly before inserting the memento cylinder into the bolt cavity.