(a) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a rifle recoil absorbing strap assembly for holding a rifle, a pistol and other types of firearms thereon during long range, target shooting, distance sighting, hunting and other firing activities and more particularly, but not by way of limitation, to a rifle recoil absorbing strap assembly that is lightweight, portable and versatile. The strap assembly is adapted to be quickly attached to a target shooting bench, a tree trunk and branch, a hunting blind, a vehicle tailgate, a off-highway vehicle cargo rack, a fence post, on top of a ground surface, a monopod, a bipod, a tripod and other similar permanent and non-permanent rifle support objects when firing a high powered rifle, pistol or any firing mechanism.
(b) Discussion of Prior Art
Heretofore, there have been a variety of rifle recoil absorbing devices, recoil suppressing supports, and methods of attenuating firearm recoil. In U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,729,975 to Hawthorne et al. and 7,313,884 to Eddins, two different types of recoil suppressing rifle supports are disclosed and shown permanently mounted on support frames. Also, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,799,329 to Nodo and 5,811,720 to Quinnell et al. illustrate a firearm recoil attenuator and a shooting rest with recoil reduction system mounted permanently on a support member. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,758,447 to Venetz, a recoil absorbing device is described having a rifle rest member permanently attached to a horizontal surface and a first strap member with weighted bag and a second strap member used to hold a rifle butt in place during the firing of the rifle.
None of the above mentioned patented recoil absorbing devices and systems disclose the unique features and structure of the subject flexible strap assembly that can be quickly attached to various objects for absorbing rifle recoil when firing a high powered rifle.
In view of the foregoing, it is a primary objective of the subject invention to provide a rifle recoil absorbing strap assembly for absorbing rifle recoil, preventing bruising of the shoulder and without having to permanently mount the strap assembly on a target shooting bench, a table or a horizontal support member.
Another object of the strap assembly is the invention is rugged in construction, simplistic in design, adapted for different sizes and shapes of rifles, pistols, and other firearms, and can be easily and quickly mounted on different types of horizontal and vertical support objects such as a target shooting bench, a hunting blind, a tree trunk and branch, a vehicle tailgate, an off-highway vehicle cargo rack, a fence post, on a ground surface, a monopod, bipod, tripod and other support objects.
Yet another object of the invention is the strap assembly includes a rifle butt cradle, made of strap material, for holding a rifle butt securely therein. The rifle butt cradle includes a horizontal, reinforcing member in the bottom of the butt cradle to prevent the strap assembly from slipping and folding over an edge of a target shooting bench and other horizontal surfaces when attached thereto.
The subject strap assembly is adapted for engaging and holding a rifle in place during target shooting and hunting. The strap assembly includes an elongated, flexible, horizontal first strap member with adjustable and releasable fastener. The adjustable and releasable fastener is used for securing together a first end and a second end of the first strap member. Also, the strap assembly includes a flexible, vertical second strap member with a first end and an opposite second end. The first and second end of the second strap member are adapted for receipt around a front portion of the rifle and secured thereto for preventing upward movement of the rifle when firing. Further, the strap assembly includes a rifle butt cradle adapted for receiving and securing a rifle butt of the rifle therein. Whereby, when the strap assembly is secured to a rifle securing object and the rifle is held thereon, the strap assembly greatly reduces rifle recoil during the firing of the rifle.
These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent to those familiar with rifle recoil absorbing devices and methods when reviewing the following detailed description, showing novel construction, combination, and elements as herein described, and more particularly defined by the claims, it being understood that changes in the embodiments to the herein disclosed invention are meant to be included as coming within the scope of the claims, except insofar as they may be precluded by the prior art.
The accompanying drawings illustrate complete preferred embodiments of the present invention according to the best modes presently devised and in which:
In
The strap assembly 10 includes an elongated, flexible, horizontal first strap member 24 with adjustable and releasable fastener 26. The adjustable and releasable fastener 26 is used for securing together a first end 28 and a second end 30 of the first strap member 24. In this drawing, the first strap member 24 is shown looped around the top and bottom of the bench 12 and tightened thereon using the adjustable and releasable fastener 26. The fastener 26 can also be used as a grommet for securing the strap assembly 10 to a support object.
Also, the strap assembly 10 includes a flexible, vertical second strap member 32 with a first end 34 having loop fasteners 36 and a second end 38 having hook fasteners 40. The first end 34 with loop fasteners 36 and the second end 38 with hook fasteners 40 are shown clearly in
Further, the strap assembly 10 includes a rifle butt cradle 44, make of strap material, adapted for receiving and securing the rifle butt 22 of the rifle 16 therein. As mentioned above, the strap assembly 10 can be secured to various types of permanent or moveable rifle securing objects with the rifle 16 held thereon. The rifle butt cradle 44 can include a foam shoulder pad 46 to further reduce any chance of shoulder bruising, when using the strap assembly 10.
In
Also in this drawing, the rifle butt cradle 44 is shown in greater detail and including a horizontal reinforcing member 48, shown in dashed lines, received in a horizontal sleeve 50 in a horizontal bottom portion 52 of the cradle 44. The cradle 44 also includes a “U” shaped vertical portion 54 and angled support straps 56. The “U” shaped vertical portion 54 of the cradle 44 is sized to receive different sizes of rifle butts. Further, a top of the vertical portion 54 includes a flap 58 with loop fasteners 36 for securing the flap to hook fasteners 40 on one side of the vertical portion 54 and holding the rifle butt 22 securely when firing the rifle 16. The cradle 44 along with the flap 58 can encompass the rifle butt 22 when using the strap assembly 10 with or without using the bench 12, as shown in
In
In
In
In this drawing, the first strap member 24 includes the grommet 68 positioned for being below the front portion 42 of the rifle 16 as shown in
In
While the invention has been particularly shown, described and illustrated in detail with reference to the preferred embodiments and modifications thereof, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that equivalent changes in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention as claimed except as precluded by the prior art.
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