SUPPORT DEVICE

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of firearms and in particular but not exclusively to supporting firearms, such as rifles. A support device for supporting a firearm above a surface, the support comprising a support body for connection to the firearm and including, or for connection to, at least one support leg, the support body comprising a curved element which engages a correspondingly-shaped fixture mounted on, or integral with the firearm, the inter-engagement of the curved element and fixture permitting panning of the connected firearm, and a detent means which retains the curved element and the correspondingly-shaped fixture in engagement.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to and the benefit of Great Britain Patent Application No. GB2020328.7, filed Dec. 22, 2020; the entire contents of which as are hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND

Related Field

This invention relates to the field of firearms and in particular, but not exclusively, to supporting firearms such as rifles.

Related Art

A variety of supports, such as bipods and tripods are known for stably supporting firearms. Early bipods were mounted permanently or semi-permanently on the firearm. In the context of the invention, semi-permanent mounting refers to arrangements where a bipod is fixed to a firearm such that a user tends to leave the bipod so mounted, such that it is ready for use. An example of a bipod which is typically semi-permanently mounted on a firearm are the bipods of the Harris bipod type (U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,422) which take some time to mount or demount from a firearm. Such permanent or semi-permanent mounting of bipods is disadvantageous for several reasons. First, the support is not required in all situations, for example, in driven shooting or in high seat shooting, and therefore the mounted bipod adds unnecessary weight for such situations. Second, in the case of high value firearms, which often feature finely crafted, highly figured wooden stocks, and engraved actions and metal parts, and where aesthetic considerations are important to a user, the presence of a permanently mounted bipod may be unattractive to a user.

With the introduction in 2015 of the applicant's Javelin magnetic attachment system (GB2504680), it has been possible for a user to carry a support such as bipod, or a tripod, separately to a firearm and to quickly mount the bipod or tripod to the firearm so that the firearm can be stably supported by the bipod or tripod. In this way, a support is only carried when it is likely to required, for example when stalking on open ground, but need not be carried when it is not likely to be required—such as in a high seat hunting situation.

BRIEF SUMMARY

According to one aspect of the invention there is provided a support device according to claim 1.

The support device of the invention is advantageous in that it may be quickly attached to or detached from a firearm, and when detached from the firearm may be carried as required by a user. Optional and preferred features of this aspect of the invention are set out in claims 2 to 19.

According to another aspect of the invention there is provided a combination of a support device according to a first aspect of the invention including a fixture, and a firearm. Preferably, the support device and the firearm are connected in the combination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Support devices and combinations of such support devices and firearms in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, FIGS. 1 to 8, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation of the rear of a support device in accordance with the invention in one condition;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the front of the support device of FIG. 1 in another condition;

FIG. 3 is a scrap side view of a firearm (shown in longitudinal cross-section) engaged with the support device of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an elevation of the rear of another support device in accordance with the invention in one condition;

FIG. 5 is a cross-section of a fixture for use with a support device in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 6 is a plan view from below of the fixture of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a combination of a support device and a firearm in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a side view of another combination of a support device and a firearm in accordance with the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF VARIOUS EMBODIMENTS

A Support Device A support device 10 in accordance with the invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, and 3. The support device 10 comprises a body 11 and support legs 12, 14. The legs 12, 14 are pivotally connected to the body 11 by pins 15 and 16 respectively so that the legs 12, 14 can be pivoted between a folded condition as shown in FIG. 1, suitable for carrying, and a deployed, or unfolded, condition as shown in FIG. 2 in which the support device can be used to stably support a firearm.

The support device body 11 includes an upstanding cylindrical portion, or spigot, 17.

The support device body 11 includes spring loaded ball detents 18, 19, 20, which are normally biased into an extended condition as shown in the illustration. By a retraction mechanism (not shown) the balls can be withdrawn fully into the body i.e., into a retracted condition, by operation of button 21. In this embodiment, the button 21 is arranged on the rear face of the support body 11. In this position, the button 21 is conveniently facing a user and is less likely to be accidentally depressed e.g., with contact with vegetation or a rock in a practical hunting situation. However, the button 21 or other means for a user to operate to release the detent means, may be located on the front or side of the support device body 11. In the embodiment shown, the spigot 17 is topped by a neodymium magnet 22 fixed to the spigot.

In use, the support 10 can be carried by a user until it is needed, and quickly mounted on a firearm or, alternatively, it can be left attached to the firearm i.e., mounted on the firearm. The support device 10 is shown mounted on a firearm 30 in FIG. 3. In FIG. 3, only the forestock 32 and barrel 34 of the firearm 30 are shown (both in cross section). A fixture 36 is fixed into the forestock 32, as shown here, with glue. In other embodiments, the fixture 36 can be integral with the forestock (e.g., formed of the same material). The fixture 36 is typically formed from a non-ferrous material such as aluminium, or brass. The fixture 36 defines a cylindrical cavity 37 which corresponds with the cylindrical shape of the spigot 17, and an annular track or groove 38 which extends around the wall of the cavity 37 parallel with the planar surfaces of the fixture. A ferrous disc 39 is embedded in the cylindrical cavity 37.

A user can insert the spigot 17 into the cylindrical cavity 37, aided by the attraction between the magnet 22 and the ferrous disc 39. As the spigot is inserted, the spring-loaded ball detents 18-20 are each deflected by the wall of the cavity 37 against the spring bias (i.e., they are kept in a retracted condition) until they engage with the annular track, or groove, 38. The depth of the annular track into the wall of the cylindrical cavity 37 then allows the balls 18-20 to extend into their extended condition. In their extended condition, the balls inhibit removal of the spigot 17 from the cavity 37, i.e. the support device 10 is kept connected to the firearm. This inhibition is enhanced by the magnetic attraction between the magnet 22 and the ferrous disc 39. The spigot 17 can be removed from the cavity 37 in order to disconnect the support device 10 from the firearm 30, by depressing the button 21 which causes or allows the ball detents 18-20 to move into their retracted condition. Alternatively, the user may be able to pull hard on the bipod legs 12-14 to overcome the spring-loaded ball detents 18-20.

Another Support Device

Another support device 40 in accordance with the invention is shown in FIG. 4. The support device 40 is generally constructed and arranged as described above in relation to support device 10, and comprises a support body 41, with two support legs 42, 44 which are pivotally connected by pins 45, 46 to the body 41. The support body 41 is topped by a cylindrical spigot 47, but there is no magnet topping the spigot 47 in this embodiment. It has been found by the Applicant that a sufficiently effective connection can be made for many practical purposes between the support device and fixture without cooperating magnetic means on the spigot and fixture. A rear facing button 50 is provided. Instead of operating ball spring detents as in the FIG. 1-3 embodiment, in this FIG. 4 embodiment, the button 50 can be depressed by a user to retract a rear facing spring-loaded lug 51 into the spigot 47, by a mechanism not shown.

In use, the support device 40 can be connected to a firearm, generally as described above in relation to the FIG. 1-3 embodiment, with the lug 51 being retracted by a user within the perimeter of the cylindrical spigot 47 to engage with a fixture of the type described above (and referred to at 36 having a circular cavity, and an annular track. The lug 51 is able to extend into the annular track, when the spigot 47 is fully inserted into the fixture, and is biased into that extended condition, to retain the spigot 47 within the cavity but still permits rotation of the spigot 47 within the cavity and thus allowing panning of the connected and supported firearm. In contrast with the FIG. 1-3 embodiment, a user cannot pull on the bipod legs 42, 44 and pull the support device 40 off the firearm due to the engagement of the lug 47 with the annular track.

Another Fixture

Another fixture 50, for use with a support device in accordance with the invention is shown in FIGS. 5 and 6. The fixture 50 comprises a base 52 and an upstanding cylindrical portion 54 which in turn defines a generally cylindrical cavity, 56. The wall of the cylindrical cavity 56 defines an annular track 58, which is shaped to receive a correspondingly-dimensioned detent of a support, such as the ball detents 18-20 of the FIG. 1-3 embodiment or the spring-loaded lug 51 of the FIG. 4 embodiment.

The fixture 50 may be connected to the lower surface of a firearm's forestock by a fastening passed through an aperture 60 defined by base 52. The fastening may be a screw, or a swivel stud of the type commonly used to fix straps to firearms.

A combination of a Support Device and a Firearm

A first combination 100 of a support device 102 in accordance with the invention and a firearm 104 is shown in FIGS. 7. As shown in FIG. 7, the support device 102 is of the type described above in relation to FIG. 1-3, or 4, where the curved element and the fixture are partly or wholly cylindrical device (i.e., in the form of cylindrical dipper spigot 19 or 47) so that the panning of the firearm is substantially planar and permits the firearm to pan in a substantially planar manner through an arc of angle A. The arc A may be restricted by the design of the support 102, so that the firearm is not moved into positions in which it is not stably supported by support 102. For example, the track of the cylindrical cavity of the fixture may not be fully annular. In the embodiment shown, the arc A is 160 degrees of rotation. Other arcs of fire are possible with different designs of track e.g., by making the track non-continuous.

A second combination 200 is shown in FIG. 8 and comprises a support device 202 and a connected firearm 204. In this embodiment, and in contrast to the embodiments of FIG. 1-3, and FIG. 4 where the spigot and cavities are cylindrical with flat opposing surfaces, corresponding parts of the curved element of the support body and the fixture are partly spherical, such that the panning of the firearm may be non-planar i.e., so that the firearm can be aimed up or down. For example, as shown in FIG. 8, the firearm can be pointed up or down moving through arc B, above or below a horizontal plane P.

It will be appreciated by the skilled addressee that other embodiments may be made within the spirit and scope of the invention, and numerous modifications may be made to those embodiments again without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention

Claims

1. A support device for supporting a firearm above a surface, the support device comprising a support body for connection to the firearm and including, or for connection to, at least one support leg, the support body comprising a curved element which engages a correspondingly-shaped fixture mounted on, or integral with, the firearm, the inter-engagement of the curved element and fixture permitting panning of a connected firearm, the support device further comprising a detent means which can retain the curved element and the correspondingly-shaped fixture in engagement, in which the detent is operable by a user, to allow disengagement between the curved element and the fixture.

2. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the detent means can be released by a user by operation of a user-operated control.

3. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the detent means includes at least one ball.

4. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the detent means includes a lug that can be retracted by a user by operation of a user-facing control.

5. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the detent means includes a track.

6. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the curved element is at least partly cylindrical.

7. A support device for a firearm according to claim 6, wherein the curved element is cylindrical.

8. A support device for a firearm according to claim 6, wherein the fixture has a partly cylindrical surface corresponding to the cylindrical shape of the curved element.

9. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the curved element is at least partly spherical.

10. A support device for a firearm according to claim 9, wherein the fixture has an at least partly spherical surface, to permit up or down movement of a connected firearm.

11. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the support body and fixture include a magnet which attracts the other of the support body and fixture.

12. A support device for a firearm according to claim 11, wherein attraction between the magnet and the other of the support body and fixture encourages inter-engagement between the support device and the fixture.

13. A support device for a firearm according to claim 12, wherein attraction between the magnet and the other of the support body and fixture maintains inter-engagement between the support and the fixture.

14. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein a user can overcome the detent means to separate the support device from a connected firearm.

15. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the support device is configured to permit panning of a supported firearm, by 30 degrees of rotation or more.

16. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the support device is configured to permit panning of a supported firearm by 60 degrees of rotation.

17. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, wherein the support device is configured to permit panning of the supported firearm by 120 degrees or more.

18. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, further comprising at least one support leg.

19. A support device for a firearm according to claim 1, further comprising two or three support legs.

20. A support device for a firearm according to claim 2, wherein the user operated control is located on a user facing surface of the support body, or a side of the support body.

21. A combination comprising: a support device according to claim 1, a fixture, and a firearm.

22. A combination according to claim 21, wherein the fixture is mounted on or integral with the firearm.