Conventional mounting systems for securing a rifle onto a tripod platform may include a pan-tilt head mount. A pan-tilt head mount is generally only capable of rotation about two perpendicular axes. As a result, a user may experience a reduced range of flexibility, as well as a limited or reduced ability to adjust and level the system to account for rifle canting, thereby resulting in missed shots.
The present disclosure relates to a leveling rail apparatus configured for directly mounting a rifle onto a tripod, a pan-tilt head mount, or other support structure, as disclosed herein.
According to an embodiment, the apparatus may comprise a rail mount for securing the firearm; a leveling structure coupled to the rail mount and having at least one arcuate surface, the leveling structure operable to swivel about the arcuate surface; and a securing means coupled to the leveling structure, the securing means for securing the leveling structure to the rail mount.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawing and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the implementations will be apparent from the description and drawings.
For a more complete understanding of this disclosure and its features, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:
Long-range rifle shooting typically requires the use of a support structure to hold and steady the rifle. Because shooters may desire to fire on uneven terrain, from varying positions, or from various locations, tripods are commonly used to steady long-range rifles. A tripod shooting platform allows for versatility with its adjustable height, its independently extendable legs to accommodate uneven surfaces, and its lightweight and transportable structure.
In order to mount and secure a rifle onto a tripod platform, various mounting attachments are conventionally used. Among the most common mounting attachments are ballhead mounts and pan-tilt head mounts.
A ballhead mount uses a ball-and-socket type joint for orientation control. The ball sits in a socket, which may be tightened by a knob or other component to lock the ball in place. The ball may move multi-directionally in various tilts and angles and along various planes. Such multi-directional movement capability may allow for rifle canting, i.e., the leaning or tilting of a rifle to the left or the right side to account for uneven shooting positions. However, the multidirectional/multiplane capability of the ballhead mount may also result in reduced stability and/or leveling capability when the ball is switched to an unlocked position. For example, when a user unlocks the ball, the mounted rifle may suddenly move in any direction, making it difficult to carry out precise or intricate adjustments of the rifle's position.
A pan-tilt head mount allows for rotation about two perpendicular axes, typically vertical and horizontal axes. As such, the pan-tilt head may operate by controlling two hinges: one hinge adjusting a horizontal angle of the rifle and allowing for rotation in a horizontal plane (i.e., pan); and one hinge adjusting a vertical angle of the rifle and allowing for rotation in a vertical plane (i.e., tilt). Unlike the ballhead mount, the pan-tilt head mount allows for more precision control of the rifle's position by directional adjustment because a rifle secured in a pan-tilt head mount is unlikely to slip into uncontrolled positions when unlocked. However, disadvantages of the pan-tilt head mount include its inability to operate beyond two axes, adjust for rifle canting, and account for uneven shooting positions. Thus, there is a need for a device that may be coupled to a pan-tilt head mount that allows for increased flexibility and rifle canting adjustments, while maintaining precision control of the rifle's position.
Embodiments of the present disclosure generally provide a leveling rail for the direct mounting of a rifle onto a tripod, a pan-tilt head mount, or other support structure. The leveling rail may comprise a plurality of different features and components as described herein.
The rail mount 110 of the leveling rail 100 may function as an attachment interface onto which a rifle may be mounted. The rail mount 110 may comprise any rail mount or other direct-style mounts known in the art, including but not limited to pan-tilt head mounts, such as Picatinny, Arca Swiss, Dovetail, Warsaw Pact, Weaver, M-Lok, KeyMod, among other rail mounting devices. Rail mount 110 may generally comprise, among other things, a bolt 102, a knob 104, a lateral member 106, body springs 108a and 108b, and a body 112.
Knob 104 may comprise a handle 104a with an arm 104b extending therefrom. Bolt 102 may be threaded through the handle 104a and the arm 104b. Knob 104 may be joined to the lateral member 106 via the bolt 102 which may be threaded through the arm 104b of the knob 104 through a hole 106a in the lateral member 106.
With reference now to
With continued reference to
The base piece 126 of the leveling structure 120 may comprise an arcuate or cylindrical upper or top surface 126b which may be configured to interface and mateably join with the bottom surface 124b of the top piece 124. According to an embodiment, the arcuate top surface 126b may comprise a concave cylindrical mating surface to mateably join with a convex bottom surface 124b of the top piece 124. The base piece 126 may further comprise notches or recesses, or grooves 126d located on opposing sides of the arcuate top surface 126b. Notches 126d may interface with lips 124d disposed on the bottom surface 124b of the top piece 124 (thereby allowing for the joining of the top piece 124 with the base piece 126, as well as the swiveling of the bottom surface 124b of the top piece 124 along the top surface 126b of the base piece 126). Base piece 126 may further comprise a recessed area or cutout 126c disposed within its perimeter to capture any dust and/or debris that may enter and lodge therein. The manual removal of such captured dust and/or debris may ensure the smooth swiveling or pivoting of the top piece 124 along the top surface 126b of the base piece 126.
With continued reference to
Securing means or tension adjuster 140 may comprise an adjustable fastener in the form of a tension adjustment knob 142 and bolt 144. The bolt 144 may facilitate assembly of the rail mount 110, the leveling structure 120, the base structure 130, and the tension adjustment knob 142 of leveling rail 100. Bolt 144 may be threaded first through the tension adjustment knob 142, then through groove 138 of base plate 132, then through cutout 126c of base piece 126, then through depression 124c of top piece 124, through a connector 122, a washer 128a, and a nut 128b (which together may provide the drag adjustment needed for the leveling rail 100), and into body 112 of rain mount 110. Tension adjustment knob 140 may be utilized to adjust the tightness of leveling rail 100 by selectively altering, increasing or decreasing, pressure and friction or frictional engagement between cylindrical surfaces 124b and 126b to allow for movement along a spectrum of rigidity, ranging from substantially frictionless rotation of the leveling rail 100 to a substantial fixation of the leveling rail 100, wherein movement base piece 126 and top piece 124 are secured against rotation relative to one another.
With continued reference to
It is to be understood that various modifications may be made to the leveling rail 100 without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. For example, although the leveling structure 120 is described above as a two-piece structure, it may alternatively comprise a single-piece or multi-piece structure. Moreover, while the top piece 124 and the bottom piece 126 of the leveling structure 120 are described as arcuate (and depicted in the figures as convex and concave, respectively), it is to be understood that these pieces may be fashioned in any manner, whether arcuate or otherwise, that allows for a swiveling or pivoting action.
It is further to be understood that the leveling rail 100 disclosed herein may be modified for coupling directly to a tripod, other pan tilt platforms, and/or other support structures known in the art. By utilizing leveling rail 100 on a pan tilt platform, the user will be able to enjoy the benefits of a ballhead mount without compromising precision and stability when unlocked.
It is also to be understood that the implementations are not limited to particular apparatus or methods described which may, of course, vary. For example, the leveling rail 100 need not be limited to the specific design or parts disclosed herein. Moreover, the invention defined by the above paragraphs is not to be limited to particular details set forth in the above description, as many apparent variations thereof are possible without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular implementations only and is not intended to be limiting.
This application claims the benefit of, and priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/679,366, filed on Jun. 1, 2018 and entitled “Leveling Rail Device”, the content of which is incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The present disclosure relates to a leveling rail apparatus for the direct mounting of a rifle onto a support structure such as tripod, pan-tilt head mount, or other mount.
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