WEAPON REST

Abstract

A weapon rest for supporting a weapon. The weapon rest has an improved lock or jaw clamp for locking a vertical column support in a predetermined position.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to weapon rests and, more particularly, to weapon rests having at least one support and improved means and apparatus for locking the at least one support in a predetermined position.

2. Description of the Related Art

A weapon rest is a device which facilitates the use of a weapon, such as a hand gun, rifle, crossbow and the like. The weapon rest typically provides a stable surface for supporting the weapon during target practice, marksmanship competition, hunting, cleaning of the weapon and the like.

Various types of weapon rests have been used in the past and provided different means for supporting the weapon. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,600,913 illustrates a pistol rest that provided a two-piece adjustable molded plastic rest that had a fork member to be retained within a base member and the fork member and base member had means for raising and lowering the rest portion of the device.

Several prior art rifle rests had an adjustable support that raised and lowered in a generally cylindrical column. A threaded screw was threaded through the column and its end would engage the support to hold it in place. One problem with this design of the past is that an end of the screw engaged the support column with point contact force that was not distributed. Sometimes the end of the screw would puncture the wall of the support column if it was screwed too tight. Also, the point contact of the end of the screw against the support did not always provide the necessary locking force to prevent vertical movement of the support column, especially during cleaning of a rifle or during shooting.

What is needed, therefore, is an improved system for locking the weapon support in a predetermined position in the weapon rest.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is, therefore, an object to provide an improved weapon rest.

Another object of the invention is to provide a weapon rest that has an improved locking of the weapon support.

Another object is to provide a weapon rest in the form of a gun rest that utilizes a jaw clamp for locking at least one support in a predetermined position;

Still another object is a weapon rest that provides an elongated jaw clamp that distributes a locking force across an adjustable support, including but not limited to, an adjustable support having a plurality of threads of an adjustable support.

In one aspect, one embodiment comprises a weapon rest for supporting a weapon, comprising a base, at least one support slidably mounted on the base, the at least one support having a weapon rest for supporting a weapon above the base and a jaw clamp for engaging the at least one support and for locking it into a predetermined position.

In another aspect, another embodiment comprises a weapon support comprising a base having an internal wall for defining an aperture, a weapon support slidably received in the aperture and a lock for locking the weapon support in the aperture after the weapon support has been situated in a predetermined position.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ACCOMPANYING DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 1A is a sectional view taken along line 1A-1A in FIG. 1;

FIGS. 2 and 3 are fragmentary views illustrating various features of the adjustable support and jaw clamp used in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded fragmentary view illustrating the assembly of the adjustable support and the jaw clamp and a thumbscrew in accordance with the embodiment of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the jaw clamp used in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 7 is a right-side view of the jaw clamp shown in FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the jaw clamp shown in FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 9 is a front view of the jaw clamp shown in FIGS. 1-5 showing engaging surfaces;

FIG. 10 is a left-side view of the jaw clamp in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the jaw clamp in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-5;

FIG. 12 is top view of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-5; and

FIG. 13 is an exploded view of the weapon rest.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1-13, a weapon rest 10 is shown for supporting a weapon (not shown). In the illustration being described, the weapon rest 10 may be used for supporting a gun, such as a pistol, rifle, shotgun or the like, or a crossbow during cleaning, storage or during shooting. The weapon rest 10 may be adapted to support a rifle or crossbow during, for example, maintenance. Features of U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,640,944; 5,600,913; 5,058,302; 4,467,947; 3,923,152; 3,813,987; D543,604; D519,183; D380,116; D375,538; D314,273; D300,183; D237,611; D234,495 and/or D227,517, all of which are incorporated herein by reference and made a part hereof, may be used in combination with features of the weapon rest 10 described herein.

The weapon rest 10 comprises a base 12 having a headstock or first support 14 and a tailstock or second support 16, all of which are molded from a polymer or plastic material. Note that the second support 16 comprises a pair of generally cylindrical members 28 and 30 slidably received in the first support 14 to provide an adjustable weapon support 18. The second support 16 further comprises a generally U-shaped support 20. In the illustration being described, the weapon rest 10, including the base 12 and first support 14, is molded from plastic, but the generally U-shaped support 20 may comprise an overmolded or inmolded rubber or other polymer 21 for supporting and retaining the weapon (not shown) in the generally U-shaped support 20.

As shown in FIG. 1A, the first support 14 is molded and comprises two generally opposed L-shaped walls 38 and 40 (when viewed in cross-section). The first support 14 comprises a middle area 42 defining a surface 42a that cooperates with a surface 38a of the L-shaped wall 38 and a surface 40a of the L-shaped wall 40 to provide or define an engaging area that a clamp 46 may move toward and away from the second support 16. In this regard, note that the clamp 46 comprises a plurality of pre-molded nut seats 51 for receiving at least one or a plurality of nuts 48. The nuts 48 are threadably received on thumb screws 50 in order to drive the clamp 46 in the direction of double arrow A (FIG. 1A).

Advantageously, the second support 16 may telescope toward and away from the first support 14 when the thumb screws 50 are loosened. Thereafter, the user moves the first support 14 relative to the second support 16 so that the distance D1 (FIG. 1) between the first support 14 and the second support 16 is adjusted to a desired distance. Thereafter, the user tightens the thumb screws 50 (FIGS. 1A and 13), which cause a clamping force of the clamp 46 against the generally cylindrical members 28 and 30 to retain and lock the first support 14 to the second support 16. In this regard, it should be understood that the generally cylindrical members 28 and 30 may be slightly larger than a distance D2 (FIG. 1A) in order to permit the clamp 46 to apply a compressive force against the generally cylindrical members 28 and 30 to lock the first support 14 to the second support 16.

Note, in FIG. 13, that the weapon rest 10 further comprises a molded storage container or compartment 52 having a top portion 54 and a bottom portion 56 that are secured together with a plurality of pre-molded detents 54a, 56a or alternatively the bottom portion 56 may comprise a in-molded hinge (not shown). In the illustration being described, the integrally molded first support 14 comprises an outer wall 14b having or defining a first generally curved area 14b1 for receiving the generally cylindrical member 28, a generally flat area 14b2 and a second generally curved area 14b3 for receiving the generally cylindrical member 30 that cooperate to define a support for receiving the bottom portion 56 (FIG. 13). In this regard, note that the storage container or compartment 52 is molded from a polymer or plastic and the bottom portion 56 comprises a generally complementary pre-molded bottom. A screw 51 is received in a threaded aperture 51a and used to secure the bottom portion 56 to the first support 14. Advantageously, the molded storage container or compartment 52 provides a storage area for receiving and storing gun and crossbow accessories, such as safety glasses, ear protection, weights, range tools and the like.

The first support 14 comprises an integrally-molded column or support 58 having an integrally molded column 60 comprising an external wall 62 and an internal wall 64. In the illustration being described, the integrally molded column 60 further comprises an inner wall 66 having an inner wall surface 66a that defines a receiving area 68 for receiving at least one adjustable support 78. In the illustration being described, the at least one adjustable support 78 comprises a molded first half 72 and a molded second half 74 that are secured together by conventional means such as a screw 76.

In the illustration being described, the at least one adjustable support 78 has a generally U-shaped end 78a (FIG. 1) that, like the generally U-shaped support 20 has an in-molded or inserted rubber or polymer support 80 as shown.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 3-5, note that the internal wall 64 of the integrally-molded column or support 58 comprises a plurality of integrally molded flat areas 64a, 64b, 64c and 64d. A plurality of ribs 82, 84, 86 and 88 are integrally molded with the flat areas 64a-64d, respectively, and are also integrally molded with the external wall 62. The flat areas 64a-64d are adapted to define engaging surfaces 64a1, 64b1, 64c1 and 64d1 that provide an engaging area, platen or brace against which the at least one adjustable support 78 may be driven as explained later herein. Note that the ribs 82-88 support the engaging surfaces 64a1, 64b1, 64c1 and 64d1 a predetermined distance D3 (FIG. 4) from the integrally molded external wall 62.

The internal wall 62 further comprises a notched-out or U-shaped wall 64e that is integrally molded with the external wall 64 and that defines a generally U-shaped receiving area or longitudinal channel 90.

In the illustration being described, the notched-out area or longitudinal channel 90 is adapted to receive a jaw clamp 92 for engaging the at least one adjustable support 78 and for locking the at least one adjustable support 78 into a predetermined position selected by the user after the at least one adjustable support 78 has been adjusted or moved to a desired position. In one embodiment, the jaw clamp 92 is made of a polymer material, but it could be made from other suitable materials, such as other polymer or synthetic materials, metallic materials, such as steel or aluminum, carbon or composite materials, for example.

The at least one adjustable support 78 comprises the threads 91 that receive a mating, threaded hand nut 94 that, when rotated, causes the at least one adjustable support 78 and its polymer support 80 to be raised or lowered to a desired position. In this regard, the external wall 62 has an end 62a that comprises an internal wall 96 that defines a generally U-shaped circular channel 98, as best illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 5. The hand nut 94 comprises a mating flange or lip 100 (FIG. 3) that is received in the generally U-shaped circular channel 98 to facilitate retaining the hand nut 94 and so that its axis is generally coaxial with the axis defined by the column 60. The hand nut 94 comprises an internal U-shaped wall 94a (FIG. 3) that defines a U-shaped channel that receives the raised portion or wall 102 (FIG. 5) of column 60. A bottom 94a1 of the wall 94a of hand nut 94 rides on and is supported by a top surface 102a (FIG. 5) of the surface 102a of wall 102.

Returning to FIGS. 3-13, the lock or jaw clamp 92 engages the at least one adjustable support 78 and locks it into a predetermined position in the first support 14. In the illustration being described, the jaw clamp 92 is received in the generally U-shaped or longitudinal channel 90 which comprises a channel width W (FIG. 4) that is slightly larger than a width W2 (FIG. 9) of the jaw clamp 92. As best illustrated in the views in FIGS. 6, 7 and 10, the jaw clamp 92 is slightly U or V-shaped in profile. The jaw clamp 92 has a longitudinal dimension that is substantially larger than its width W2 so that when the jaw clamp 92 is received in the generally U-shaped receiving area or longitudinal channel 90 its longitudinal axis is generally parallel to the axis of the at least one adjustable support 78. The longitudinal channel 90 also restricts or prevents the jaw clamp 92 from undesired movement. As best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, that the jaw clamp 92 is adapted to traverse a plurality of the threads 91. The integrally-molded column or support 58 comprises a reinforced molded area portion 112 (FIG. 2) that is substantially thicker than the external wall 62 and that comprises a threaded aperture 114 for receiving a thumbscrew 116 as best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. The jaw clamp 92 comprises an aperture 114 that defines a notched-out area 114a for receiving an end 116a (FIGS. 5, 6, and 8) of the thumbscrew 116.

After the user adjusts a vertical height V1 (FIG. 1) and position of the U-shaped end 78a, the user tightens the thumbscrew 116 which forces the end 116a of the thumbscrew 116 into engagement with the jaw clamp 92 in the notched-out area 114a. This, in turn, causes an engaging surface 117 (FIG. 6) of the jaw clamp 92 to engage a plurality of the threads 91. As the jaw clamp 92 drives the engaging surface 117 into engagement with the plurality of threads 91, it forces the at least one adjustable support 78 leftward (as viewed in FIG. 4) until the portions of the threads 91 that are opposite the portions of the threads 91 being engaged engage the surfaces 64a1, 64b1, 64c1 and 64d1 as illustrated in FIG. 4, thereby locking the at least one adjustable support 78 in a locked and fastened position in the weapon rest 10. While the embodiment is shown engaging the plurality of threads 91, the at least one adjustable support could be provided without threads, such as in a smooth continuous column (not shown). In that case, the jaw clamp 92 engages the column directly.

The jaw clamp 92 may comprise notched internal walls 120, 122 and 124 that define notched out areas which facilitate or enable the jaw clamp to be generally elastic. It should be understood, however, that the jaw clamp 92 could be solid.

Note that the plurality of ribs 82, 84, 86 and 88 are positioned substantially radially with respect to the axis of the at least one adjustable support 78 and are otherwise positioned to strengthen and support the internal wall 64 when it is engaged by the threads 91 of the at least one adjustable support 78.

The column 60 may have an integral key 121 (FIG. 4) that is received in the keyway 123 (FIG. 13) that prevents the at least one adjustable support 78 from undesired rotational movement.

Advantageously, the weapon rest 10 provides an improved support for supporting weapons above a surface. The lock or jaw clamp 92 also provides improved means for providing an improved engaging area for traversing a plurality of threads 91, which improves the locking of the at least one adjustable support 78 in the predetermined position so that it does not move after the thumbscrew 116 has been tightened by the user.

Although not shown, it should be understood that the second support 16 could also have an adjustable support similar to the at least one adjustable support 78 if desired.

While the system, apparatus and method herein described constitute preferred embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise system, apparatus and method, and that changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

Claims

1. A weapon rest for supporting a weapon, comprising:

a base;

at least one support slidably or adjustably mounted on the base, said at least one support having a weapon rest for supporting a weapon above the base; and

a jaw clamp for engaging said at least one support and for locking it into a predetermined position.

2. The weapon rest as recited in claim 1 wherein said jaw clamp is elongated and has a longitudinal axis.

3. The weapon rest as recited in claim 2 wherein said at least one support comprises a support axis, said longitudinal axis being generally parallel to said support axis.

4. The weapon rest as recited in claim 1 wherein said at least one support comprises threaded cylindrical wall and a hand nut for raising and lowering said at least one support, said jaw clamp engaging a plurality of threads of said threaded cylindrical wall said that when said jaw clamp is tightened, a clamping force is applied to said plurality of threads.

5. The weapon rest as recited in claim 1 wherein said base has a vertical support column extending from said base, said vertical support column having a support wall, at least a portion of said support wall providing a platen or bearing surface against which said jaw clamp may drive said at least one support in order to lock said at least one support in said vertical support column in response to a clamping force by said jaw clamp.

6. The weapon rest as recited in claim 5 wherein said vertical support column comprises an inner wall, an outer wall and a plurality of ribs integrally formed between said inner wall and said outer wall.

7. The weapon rest as recited in claim 6 wherein said plurality of ribs are integrally formed along lines that are generally radial with respect to an axis of at least one support.

8. The weapon rest as recited in claim 7 wherein said plurality of ribs are integrally formed in said inner wall so that an engaging area of said inner wall that engages said at least one support becomes situated or arranged generally opposite an area of said at least one support wherein said jaw clamp engages a plurality of threads.

9. The weapon rest as recited in claim 8 wherein said vertical support column comprises a threaded aperture, said jaw clamp further comprising a screw for screwing into said threaded aperture and for driving said jaw clamp into said plurality of threads.

10. The weapon rest as recited in claim 9 wherein said threaded aperture is situated generally opposite said plurality of ribs so that when said screw is tightened, said jaw clamp forces said at least one support against said inner wall.

11. The weapon rest as recited in claim 10 wherein said jaw clamp is generally V-shaped.

12. A gun support comprising:

a base having an internal wall for defining an aperture;

a gun support slidably received in said aperture; and

a lock for locking said gun support in said aperture after said gun support has been situated in a predetermined position.

13. The gun support as recited in claim 12 wherein said lock comprises a clamp.

14. The gun support as recited in claim 13 wherein said gun support comprises a generally elongated support member having a gun rest at an end thereof;

said generally elongated support member being slidably received in said gun support and said clamp being generally elongated and having an elongated clamping surface that engages said generally elongated support member.

15. The gun support as recited in claim 14 wherein said generally elongated support member being generally cylindrical and having a support axis; said elongated clamping surface having an elongated axis that is generally parallel to said support axis.

16. The gun support as recited in claim 12 wherein said base comprises a storage compartment and at least one lid or cover.

17. The gun support as recited in claim 12 wherein said base comprises at least one second support.

18. The gun support as recited in claim 17 wherein said at least one second support is integral and monolithically formed with said base.

19. The gun support as recited in claim 12 wherein said base comprises an external wall surrounding at least a portion of said internal wall, said gun support further comprising a plurality of ribs integrally formed between said external wall and said internal wall.

20. The gun support as recited in claim 19 wherein said plurality of ribs are integrally formed along lines that are generally radial with respect to an axis of at least one support.

21. The gun support as recited in claim 20 wherein said plurality of ribs are integrally formed in a rib area of a first side of said internal wall, a second side of said internal wall having a platen, bearing surface or engaging area generally opposite said rib area, said lock being situated in a locking area of said external wall and generally opposite said platen, bearing surface or engaging area so that when said gun support is received between said lock and said engaging area, said lock can be tightened to force said gun support into engagement with said engaging area, thereby locking said gun support at a predetermined height in said base.

22. The gun support as recited in claim 21 wherein lock is a jaw clamp.

23. The gun support as recited in claim 22 wherein said jaw clamp is elongated and has a longitudinal axis.

24. The gun support as recited in claim 23 wherein said gun support comprises a support axis, said longitudinal axis being generally parallel to said support axis.

25. The gun support as recited in claim 22 wherein said gun support comprises a threaded cylindrical wall and a hand nut for raising and lowering said gun support, said jaw clamp engaging a plurality of threads of said threaded cylindrical wall said that when said jaw clamp is tightened, a clamping force is applied to said plurality of threads.

26. The gun support as recited in claim 22 wherein said external wall comprises a threaded aperture at said locking area, said jaw clamp further comprising a screw and a clamp for screwing into said threaded aperture and for driving said gun support into engagement with said engaging area, thereby locking said gun support at a predetermined height in said base.

27. The gun support as recited in claim 26 wherein said clamp is generally V-shaped in cross section.