Patent Application
20240377158
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
The present invention relates to a device that allows a long gun to be firmly affixed on a backpack and more particularly allows the wearer of the backpack to secure and remove the long gun without the need of removing the pack, without the need of outside assistance, and without the use of complex mechanical devices. While in the act of hunting it is often desirable for the hunter to wear a backpack in which to store such things as food, water, extra clothing, ammunition and the like. It is also often desirable for the hunter to have their hands free in order to negotiate rough or brushy terrain, manipulate trekking poles, or operate binoculars. In the past the hunter might utilize a gun sling to suspend the long gun from one of their shoulders while also wearing a separate backpack. While the hunter is immobile a sling is generally effective at maintaining the long gun in a hands-free manner. While in motion however, one of the hunter's hands must be used to prevent the long gun from swinging around and from sliding off the hunter's shoulder.
In an attempt to mitigate this, there have been many varied examples in the prior art of means and mechanisms that allow a long gun to be affixed to a backpack, and thus free the hands of the backpack wearer. These generally fall into one of three categories concerning the access the wearer of the backpack has to a long gun, unaided by a second person.
In the first of these categories, the wearer of a backpack must remove the pack to either remove the long gun from it or reattach the long gun to it. Such a mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,754,904 by Fischer, and again in U.S. Pat. No. 6,290,114 by Berberian. While this latter art specifies that its use is for a hunting bow, it is obvious that it could be adapted for use with a long gun. Whether used to transport a hunting bow or long gun, the wearer of either of these backpacks is required to remove the pack in order to manipulate straps and buckles that secure the hunting implement to the pack. This action results in considerable movement by the wearer that can alarm game, and consumes time that a hunter rarely has in abundance.
In the second category of prior art, the wearer of a backpack can remove a long gun from the pack without removing the pack itself, but due to a plurality of straps and fasteners, must remove the pack to reattach the long gun to it. This is the case for U.S. Pat. No. 995,458 disclosed by Harriman, U.S. Pat. No. 7,735,701 disclosed by Eberle, U.S. Pat. No. 9,074,840 disclosed by Andersen, as well as U.S. Pat. No. 9,194,655 disclosed by Cha. While devices within this second category allow a hunter to more quickly and conveniently remove a long gun than those devices within the first category, the hunter is forced to take off their backpack after every encounter with game in order to reattach the long gun to the pack.
The third category of prior art includes those concepts that could conceivably allow a backpack wearer to remove a long gun from the backpack and reattach it without the need of removing the pack itself. One concept within this category utilizes a gun scabbard that is attached to a backpack and was disclosed by Eberle in U.S. Pat. No. 6,763,987, and again in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,654,426 and 8,397,965. In order to remove the long gun from the scabbard though, the wearer is required to grasp and manipulate the long gun from a position above and behind their shoulder, a combination beyond the physical range of motion of many people, and one that is made more difficult if the hunter is wearing bulky cold weather clothing. The reinsertion of the long gun into the scabbard also requires that the wearer have a firm sense of the placement of the scabbard relative to their body, as the wearer has a limited view of the scabbard. An additional problem associated with this concept is that a substantial portion of the long gun extends above the head of the wearer, making it difficult to conveniently and quietly traverse the thick cover in which game often resides.
Another concept that potentially fits within the third category of prior art was disclosed in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2010/0012691 by Hyle. In this concept the barrel of the long gun is threaded through a circular shaped opening near the top of the backpack frame and the butt is placed in a cup like enclosure attached to the bottom of the backpack frame. While the butt of the long gun can be secured within the butt shaped cup, the circular opening allows the barrel to move relative to the backpack, creating an unwanted source of noise and instability. This problem is further exacerbated if the diameter of the circular opening is made large enough to allow for the passage of a front sight, which are commonly affixed to the end of long gun barrels. Another disadvantage of this concept is that the long gun is situated such that its placement conflicts with the free movement of the adjacent arm of the hunter.
One device that definitively satisfies the criteria presented herein for the third category was disclosed by Gorton in U.S. Pat. No. 10,473,425. While this device allows a backpack wearer to quickly, quietly, comfortably and conveniently affix and remove a long gun unaided by others and without removing the pack, the device specifies a complex mechanism to secure the barrel of the long gun. What is needed then is a device that exhibits all of the benefits of the Gorton art, but that incorporates a simpler grasping mechanism. By virtue of its simplicity, such a device would be even quicker and quieter to use, while still maintaining the comfort and convenience offered by the original Gorton art. Additionally, without the mechanical complexity, such a device would be easier to fabricate and could be considerably lighter in weight.
The present invention contemplates a modified long gun mounting device that greatly improves the access a hunter has to a long gun, or similarly shaped object, that is carried on the hunter's backpack.
According to the present invention, the mounting device includes a generally rigid lower member having a horizontal surface for receiving the butt of a long gun and a way of securing the butt to the lower member. The mounting device also includes a grasping mechanism that secures the barrel or barrel and forend of the long gun (forend), wherein a traditional gun sling or a leash is used to help secure and remove the forend from the grasping mechanism.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the long gun butt is secured to the lower member with the use of an elastic restraint having one end attached to a first end of a horizontal member, while a stop, attached to the free end of the elastic restraint, engages a stop slit in a second end of the horizontal member. Since the stop can easily and quickly engage and disengage the stop slit, the long gun butt can similarly be easily and quickly restrained and freed from the lower member. In this embodiment, the horizontal member can be rotated 180 degrees about its attachment point to the lower member, so as to more conveniently accommodate right-handed or left-handed users.
In another embodiment of the invention, the grasping mechanism includes an inner guiding surface and an outer guiding surface that together help direct the forend of the long gun to a resting surface. While on the resting surface, the forend is maintained on the resting surface with the use of an elastic restraint.
In another embodiment of the invention, the distance between the horizontal surface, associated with the lower member, and the grasping mechanism can be adjusted so long guns of varying length can be accommodated.
In another embodiment of the invention, the grasping mechanism is attached to the upper end of a rigid base member and the lower member is pivotally attached to the lower end of the same base member.
In another embodiment of the invention, the base member consists of an upper tube that slides within a lower tube, allowing the distance between the lower member—as well as the horizontal surface associated with the lower member—and the grasping mechanism to be adjusted so as to better accommodate different long gun lengths.
In another embodiment of the invention, the distance between the forend of the long gun and the base member can be adjusted.
In another embodiment, the invention features a means of attaching the mounting device to a backpack.
A principal advantage of the invention resides in the ability of the wearer of a modified long gun mounting device equipped backpack to remove a long gun, or other similarly shaped elongated object, from the pack and reattach it to the pack without the need of removing the pack itself, without the need of uncomfortably reaching above and behind one's shoulder and without the assistance of a second person.
Another advantage of the invention is found in the ability of the mounting device to be attached to a wide variety of backpack types and sizes.
Another advantage of the invention lies in the adjustability of the mounting device, allowing it to accommodate a wide variety of long gun types and sizes.
Another advantage of the invention resides in the rigid and secure manner in which the long gun is mounted to a backpack, and thus to the wearer of the backpack.
Another advantage of the invention is found in the placement of the mounting device and long gun substantially behind the head and body of the backpack wearer, where they are better shielded from brush while the wearer passes through it.
Another advantage of the invention lies in the orientation of the resting surface, associated with the grasping mechanism, which helps ensure that the long gun forend remains firmly in contact with the resting surface while moving forward through thick brush and the like.
Another advantage of the invention lies in the orientation of the stop slit, associated with the horizontal member, which helps ensure that the stop remains secured within the stop slit while moving forward through thick brush and the like.
Another advantage of the invention is found in the shape and location of the grasping mechanism, which situated just above the rear sight or optic of the long gun, establishes a buffer area that helps to protect the site or optic from unwanted contact with brush, trees or the like.
Still other advantages and benefits of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the following detailed description and associated drawing figures.
A fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring now to the drawings, in
The various components that make up the preferred embodiment of mounting device 10 are illustrated in
One method for attaching base member 12 to frame 22 is with the use of an upper frame bracket 30 and a lower frame bracket 32 that connect to base member 12 with the use of base member bolts 34 and to frame 22 with the use of frame bolts 36. In order to allow for greater adjustability between mounting device 10 and backpack 20, a frame slit 38 (shown in
On the lower end of base member 12, a lower member 60 can be attached that includes a horizontal surface 62 on which a butt 42 of long gun 40 can rest. In order to secure butt 42 to lower member 60, lower member 60 can also include a horizontal member 64 having an elastic member 66 attached to one end. To a free end of elastic member 66, a stop 68 can be fixed that can engage a stop slit 70 located on the end of horizontal member 64 opposite the point of attachment of elastic member 66. Horizontal member 64 can be attached to lower member 60 with the use of a binder screw 72, so as to allow horizontal member 64 to be rotated 180 degrees to better allow for ambidextrous usage.
In order to allow lower member 60 to be rotated up and out of the way when not in use, lower member 60 can pivot about a lower member bolt 74, as is depicted in
On the upper end of base member 12, a grasping mechanism 90 can be attached for receiving and securing a barrel 44, or a barrel 44 and a forend 46 of long gun 40, hereafter referred to more simply as forend 46. The manner in which this can be accomplished while backpack 20 is being worn-rendering grasping mechanism 90 inaccessible to the hands of the wearer—is depicted in
In the same way that leash 50 can be used to guide forend 46 from grasping mechanism opening 92 to resting surface 98, leash 50 can be used to direct forend 46 from resting surface 98 to grasping mechanism opening 92 and away from grasping mechanism 90. This process can be visualized by beginning at
While backpack 20 is being worn and long gun 40 firmly secured to it by way of mounting device 10, it would be convenient to have ready access to a free leash end 54 of leash 50. Although in the preferred embodiment free leash end 54 is conveniently maintained on a shoulder strap 24 with the use of a hook and loop fastener (
The parts associated with one method of coupling grasping mechanism 90 to base member 12 are best depicted in
In many instances it would be convenient to attach mounting device 10—the combination of lower member 60 and grasping mechanism 90—to a backpack having a standard frame 28, a typical example of which was described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,179,188 by Gleason, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. With this style of backpack, or other rigidly framed backpack, one embodiment of the present invention could comprise attaching mounting device 10 more directly to standard frame 28 (
While it is necessary for mounting device 10 to be rugged in construction, it is also preferable that it is as light in weight as possible. In order to satisfy both of these goals, the preferred embodiment of mounting device 10 can use lightweight, yet rugged materials such as aluminum, plywood, fiberglass composite, carbon fiber composite, or the like in its construction. Since the various components of mounting device 10 perform unique functions, facing varying forces and levels of wear, it could be most advantageous to use different materials for specific components. For components that could make contact with vegetation, producing unwanted noise, those components can be covered with sound reducing materials such as rubberized paint or an adhesive backed foam or felt tape. Also, in an effort to eliminate unwanted noise that might be produced by butt 42 shifting against horizontal member 64, a pair of bumpers 82, composed of a compressible material, can be applied to horizontal member 64.
Since certain changes may be made in the foregoing disclosure without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and depicted in the accompanying drawings be construed in an illustrative and not in a limiting sense.
