US20160363407A1

US20160363407A1 - Firearm Stand

Info

Publication number: US20160363407A1
Application number: US15/178,546
Authority: US
Inventors: Peter Hanington
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2015-06-09
Filing date: 2016-06-09
Publication date: 2016-12-15

Abstract

A firearm stand includes a base having a bottom surface capable of resting on a substantially horizontal support surface and providing lateral and longitudinal stability, and a coupler attached to the base and having a cavity for receiving and holding a lower end portion of a firearm magazine extending from the firearm. With the magazine of the firearm held in the coupler, the firearm is held by the magazine in a desired position above the substantially horizontal surface so it is not resting directly on or against a surface, but is being held by the magazine above the stand. The firearm can be easily removed from the said when desired to be fired and easily replaced in the stand during periods when it is not being fired.

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

Priority is claimed copending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/173,192 filed Jun. 9, 2015, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND

Firearms are used for a variety of purposes, including hunting, sport, and self-defense. Because firearms are, by their very nature, capable of inflicting damage and deadly harm, it is important that they function properly and accurately. Consequently, it is important that dirt, dust, debris, and moisture be kept out of the barrel and mechanical action in order to avoid malfunction, misfire, and reduced accuracy.
During transport and storage, firearms are generally kept in gun safes, gun racks, gun cases, or gun bags—this is intended not only to secure the firearm from unauthorized use, but also to protect the firearm from dirt, dust, debris, and moisture. However, when the firearm is being used at a range, it is often inconvenient to return the firearm to its case when reloading, checking targets, adjusting the firearm, or at times actual shooting of the firearm is not taking place. At such times, the firearm is normally placed on its side on the firing line table or bench. However, many firearm owners do not like to rest their firearms on their sides on the table or bench.
Additionally, a large variety of accessories have been developed for use in combination with firearms, tools, and other related devices for the purposes of improving firearm accuracy. Such accessories may include lights, sights, scopes, and lasers. The accessories are generally mounted directly to the firearm, often through use of a rail system. These accessories are often calibrated so that they function properly and provide maximum accuracy. The calibration sometimes takes place on the range. For example, a sighting device such as a scope or laser is intended to predict the flight of a bullet. The user fires several bullets at a target at a known range. Based on where the bullets strike the target relative to where the sighting device had predicted they would, the user can adjust the sighting device to improve its accuracy. It is often necessary to use both hands to perform the calibration. It is therefore beneficial if the firearm is positioned in its natural firing position to allow easy access to and calibration of the firearm accessories. Further, once an accessory is calibrated, is critical that the accessory remains fixed and that it is not bumped or jostled in a manner that might disturb the accessory's position on the firearm and cause the accessory to become misaligned. This can happen when a firearm is placed on its side.
It would therefore be advantageous that there be a means to conveniently hold a firearm in its natural firing position and away from any environmental factors, such as dirt and moisture, that might damage or compromise the firearm's effectiveness. It is also advantageous not to have to place the firearm on its side on a surface such as the firing line table or bench.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a firearm stand includes a base, such as a base plate, having a bottom surface capable of resting upon a substantially horizontal surface and providing lateral and longitudinal stability, and a coupler attached to the base for receiving and holding a lower end portion of a magazine extending from the firearm to be held by the stand. With the lower end portion of the magazine held in the coupler, the firearm is held by the magazine in a desired position above the substantially horizontal surface so it is not resting on its side. In one embodiment of the invention, the coupler includes an open cavity capable of receiving and holding the lower end portion of the firearm magazine extending from the firearm to thereby hold the firearm above the substantially horizontal surface and in a natural firing position. This allows the firearm to be easily removed from the stand when desired to be fired and easily replaced in the stand during periods when it is not being fired. It also holds the firearm in a position for easy attachment of and adjustment of accessories.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Various example embodiments of the present invention are shown and described in reference to the numbered drawings wherein;

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a firearm stand with a firearm mounted in the stand, in accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a rear left side perspective view of the firearm stand and firearm of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a rear left side perspective view of the firearm stand of the invention without a firearm mounted in the stand.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the firearm stand of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a rear elevation of the firearm stand of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of the firearm stand of FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a top rear perspective view of the stand of the invention with a different base embodiment.

It will be appreciated that the drawings are illustrative and not limiting of the scope of the invention that is defined by the claims. The embodiments shown accomplish various aspects and objects of the invention. It is appreciated that it is not possible to clearly show each element and aspect of the invention in a single figure, and as such, multiple figures are presented to separately illustrate the various details of the invention in greater clarity. Similarly, not every embodiment need accomplish all advantages of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS

The invention, and accompanying drawings will now be discussed in reference to the numerals provided therein so as to enable one skilled in the art to practice the present invention. The drawings and descriptions are exemplary of various aspects of the invention and are not intended to narrow the scope of the appended claims.
The firearm stand of the invention, as shown generally by reference number 10 in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a coupler 12 attached to a base 14. The base 14 is adapted to rest on a substantially horizontal supporting surface 16 and provides lateral and longitudinal stability for the coupler 14 to hold the coupler 14 in a substantially vertical position extending from base 14 and the substantially horizontal supporting surface 16 upon which base 14 rests. The coupler 12 includes a cavity 18 therein sized and shaped to receive and hold the bottom end portion of a firearm magazine 20 extending from a firearm indicated generally as 22. With the bottom end portion of firearm magazine 20 received in coupler 12, the firearm 22 is held in a desired position, such as a substantially upright natural firing position, above the substantially horizontal supporting surface 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The example firearm stand illustrated in the drawings is sized and adapted to hold an AK type firearm and the firearm 22 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is a general representation of an AR type firearm. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the firearm 22 is held by the firearm magazine 20 extending from the firearm in normal manner so that the firearm is held and supported without any portion of the firearm resting on or against any surface.
The firearm stand of the invention is shown in more detail in FIGS. 3-6. Base 14 may take the form of a flat plate, as shown, or other form having a flat bottom surface or other structure, such as legs, to rest on the substantially horizontal supporting surface. The base may be a metal or plastic plate, with a metal plate, such as a steel plate, being advantageous to pinned weight to the stand. Coupler 12 may be permanently attached to base 14 or, as shown, may be removably attached to base 14, such as by screws 24 extending through screw openings 26 in base 14 and being screwed into threaded screw receiving openings 28 in coupler 12. FIGS. 3-6. However, base 14 and coupler 12 can be attached though a wide variety of other commonly known attachment means, including bolts, rivets, magnets, welding, glue, epoxy, or snaps. Coupler 12 can be made of various materials such as plastic or metal, and can be advantageously molded of a plastic or resin material. Coupler 12 is a substantially vertical member and includes cavity 18 which opens through the top surface 30 of coupler 12. Cavity 18 is adapted to receive and hold the bottom end portion of a firearm magazine 20 extending from the firearm 22 to be held by the firearm stand. Cavity 18 is sized and shaped to easily receive and hold the lower end portion of the firearm magazine, and to hold the lower end portion of the firearm magazine in the cavity without substantial loose side to side and hack and forth movement of the firearm magazine in the cavity. This means that the firearm magazine is held in a substantially stationary state with very little if any side to side and back and forth movement allowed.
The size, shape, and orientation of cavity 18 will depend upon the particular firearm magazine to be received by the cavity and the particular type of firearm the coupler is to be used with. For example, cavity 18 will be sized and shaped to receive the lower end portion of the firearm magazine used with the particular type of firearm with which the stand is to be used. Different firearms use different sized and shaped magazines. As indicated, for explanation purposes, the figures illustrate an AR type of firearm and the type of magazine used with AR type firearms, and illustrate a cavity 18 sized and shaped to receive the lower end portion of AR type magazines. However, the coupler may be adapted for use with other types of firearms, such as for example, AK or HK types of firearms, and in such cases the cavity 18 in the coupler will be sized and shaped to receive and hold the lower end portion of the particular magazine used with such other type of firearm. FIGS. 1 and 2 show firearm 22 with magazine 20 extending therefrom received in the coupler cavity of the firearm stand 10 so that firearm 22 is held by the firearm stand.
In the illustrated example embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, and in the embodiment of FIG. 7, the coupler 12 includes a front end 32 and a rear end 34. Front end 32 is taller than the rear end 34 so that the top surface 30 of coupler 12 is sloped downward from the front end 32 to the rear end 34. In addition, cavity 18 extends into coupler 12 perpendicularly to cavity top surface 30. This results in cavity 18 being oriented, in coupler 12 at an angle with respect to the base and to the substantially horizontal supporting surface upon which the base is adapted to rest, see FIG. 4. The firearm being held will usually have a longitudinal axis which, when in this upright natural firing position, is substantially parallel to the supporting surface, and perpendicular to the vertical. As indicated, this illustrated embodiment is adapted to be used with AR type firearms, and as shown in FIG. 1, the lower end of the AR type magazines are angled forwardly at an angle 36 to the vertical when the firearm is in a substantially upright natural firing position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. In the illustrated embodiment for use with AR type firearms, the cavity 18, as shown in FIG. 4, is oriented at the same angle 36 from the vertical so that when the lower end portion of the magazine is inserted into the cavity 18, the firearm is positioned in the substantially upright natural firing position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the longitudinal axis of the firearm substantially parallel to the supporting surface. The angled orientation of the cavity 12 can be provided regardless of whether or not the top surface of the coupler is sloped or regardless of the degree of slope of the top surface, however, the slope of the top surface 30 of the coupler, as shown, including the cavity extending substantially perpendicularly to the top surface, is advantageous for more easily receiving the angled lower end portion of firearm magazine 20 when inserting the lower end portion of the magazine 20 into the angled recess 18 or for releasing the lower end portion of magazine 20 when removing the lower end portion of the magazine 20 from the angled recess 18. Different types of firearms with different magazine configurations may have different angles and require different cavity orientations to hold such firearms in desired positions. For example, if a magazine extends vertically downwardly from a firearm, the cavity 18 would extend vertically into the coupler to hold such firearm in a substantially upright natural firing position and the coupler would probably have a horizontal top surface. The orientation of the cavity 18 will also change if the desired position for holding the firearm is other than in the substantially upright standard firing position. The cavity orientation and the top surface orientation may change as best suited to secure different types, styles, and shapes of firearm magazines in desired positions. Further, the size of the coupler may vary for use with different firearms and firearm magazines. A coupler size of approximately 3.82 inches long and 2.25 inches wide at the widest point has been found satisfactory far AR type firearms.
The size and shape of the base 14 of the firearm stand can vary greatly. In the illustrated example embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, the base plate includes a front end 40, a rear end 42, and sides 44, FIGS. 3 and 6. The front end 40 has a concave circular edge 46 and the rear end 42 has a convex circular edge 48. The concave circular edge 21 and the convex circular edge 23 may provide additional longitudinal stability. When the firearm stand 10 is placed on a planar surface, the concave circular edge 46 can also rest against an anchor that is compatible in shape to the concave circular edge 46 to provide additional stability and keep the firearm stand 10 from sliding on the planar surface. The front end 40 may be of any shape that promotes stability and that may be compatible with an anchor on a planar surface, if used. A size for the illustrated base plate 14 of approximately 4.9 inches wide at its roar end 42, approximately 2.5 inches wide at its front end 40, and approximately 5.6 inches long has been found satisfactory. The convex circular edge 48 may have a radius of 3.8 inches and the concave circular edge 46 may have a radius of 1.75 inches.
In use, the base 14 is placed on a substantially horizontal supporting surface 16, which when used in a firing range can be the firing line table or bench, to provide both lateral and longitudinal stability to the coupler 12. The firearm 22 is placed in the firearm stand 10 by inserting the lower end portion of the firearm magazine 20 into the cavity 18 in coupler 12 so that the firearm 22 is held upright in natural firing position. In this position, the firearm itself does not make any contact with the supporting surface 16 and is completely supported by the firearm stand 10, and any attachments are also held off the supporting surface and are easily accessible. The firearm can remain in this position in the firearm stand until it is to be fired or otherwise moved, at which time a user will lift the firearm to remove the lower end of the magazine 20 from the cavity 18 in coupler 12. In this illustrated example embodiment of the invention where the coupler 12 is adapted to receive the lower end portion of the magazine 20 extending from an AR type firearm 22, the coupler 12 is positioned toward the rear 42 of the base 14 to balance the firearm 22 in upright position. By positioning the coupler 12 towards the rear of the base 14, there is increased longitudinal stability at the front of the base 14 to accommodate the weight of firearm 22 with a barrel that extends well past the from of the base 14. The placement of the coupler on the base will depend upon the firearm and the positioning of the magazine with respect to the firearm to be received by the coupler. The positioning of the magazine with respect to the firearm will determine the forces exerted by the lower end of the magazine when received in the coupler that need to be countered by the base of the stand when positioned on the supporting surface. If, for example, the magazine is positioned on the firearm with approximately equal weight of the firearm ahead of (in front of) the magazine and behind the magazine, the coupler can be mounted approximately centered on the base. If more weight of the firearm is ahead the magazine, the coupler may be positioned towards the rear of the base plate 14 to hold the firearm 22 in upright position lo accommodate the weight of the firearm 22 that would extend past the front of the base plate 22. Conversely, if more weight of the firearm is behind the magazine, the coupler may be positioned towards the front of the base plate 14 to hold the firearm 22 in upright position to accommodate the weight of the firearm 22 that would extend past the rear of the base plate 22.
FIG. 7 shows a firearm stand similar to that of FIGS. 1-6, but with a different shaped base 50. The coupler 12 is the same as in FIGS. 1-6. Any shape and size base can be used as long as it provides sufficient lateral and longitudinal stability for the particular firearm to be held in the firearm stand. The base can be made in many different decorative shapes and designs, or in the design of various logos.
As indicated, the coupler can be either permanently attached to the base or can be removably attached to the base. If permanently attached and a user has several different types of firearms, a separate firearm holder of the invention comprising both the base and the coupler will be needed for each different type of firearm. If removably attached, a single base can be used and the appropriate coupler for the particular firearm being used on an outing can be attached to the base. When a different firearm is to be used, the appropriate coupler is attached to the base.
The foregoing detailed description describes the invention with reference to specific exemplary embodiments. However, it will be appreciated that various modifications and changes can be made without departing from the scope of the present invention as set forth in the appended claims. The detailed description and accompanying drawings are to be regarded as merely illustrative, rather than as restrictive, and all such modifications or changes, if any are intended to full within the scope of the present invention as described and set forth herein.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A firearm stand for supporting a firearm having a magazine extending from the firearm comprising:

a base, wherein the base is capable of resting upon a substantially horizontal surface and providing lateral and longitudinal stability for the firearm supported by the stand; and

a coupler attached to the base, wherein the coupler is adapted to receive and hold a tower portion of a magazine extending from the firearm.

2. The firearm stand of claim 1, wherein the coupler comprises a substantially vertical member with a cavity therein, the cavity open at the top of the vertical member and adapted to receive the lower portion the firearm magazine therein.

3. The firearm stand of claim 2, wherein the cavity is of a size and shape to receive and hold the lower portion the firearm magazine therein without substantial loose side to side and back and forth movement of the firearm magazine in the cavity.

4. The firearm stand of claim 3, wherein the cavity is oriented in the coupler to receive and hold the lower portion of the firearm magazine therein when the lower portion of the firearm magazine is inserted into the cavity, in a position that will hold the firearm above the substantially horizontal surface in a desired position.

5. The firearm stand of claim 4, wherein the desired positioned is the natural firing position.

6. The firearm stand of claim 5, wherein the coupler has a top surface and wherein the top surface is sloped and the cavity extends into the coupler perpendicularly to the top surface.

7. The firearm stand of claim 4, wherein the coupler has a top surface and wherein the top surface is sloped and the cavity extends into the coupler perpendicularly to the top surface.

8. The firearm stand of claim 3, wherein the firearm has a longitudinal axis, wherein when the firearm is in the upright natural firing position the firearm longitudinal axis is substantially parallel to the supporting surface, wherein the lower end portion the firearm magazine extends at an angle to the firearm longitudinal axis, and wherein the cavity is oriented in the coupler to hold the lower end portion of the firearm magazine when inserted into the cavity at an angle to the supporting surface whereby the firearm is held in upright natural firing position.

9. The firearm stand of claim 8, wherein the coupler has a top surface and wherein the top surface is sloped and the cavity extends into the coupler perpendicularly to the top surface.

10. The firearm stand of claim 1, wherein the coupler is removably attached to the base.