Rear mount adjustable rifle carrier assembly

United States Patent Application 20040173655

Kind Code:

A1

A rifle carrier assembly mountable to the back of a user permits the rifle to be carried without encumbering the arms and hands of the wearer. The carrier secures a rifle to the back of the user in a manner which enables a degree of adjustment of the case relative to the spine angle of the wearer.

Representative Image:

Rear mount adjustable rifle carrier assembly

Inventors:

Markson, Peter (New York, NY, US)

Application Number:

10/379931

Publication Date:

09/09/2004

Filing Date:

03/05/2003

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Export Citation:

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Assignee:

Paris Accessories, Inc.

Primary Class:

224/913

Other Classes:

224/638, 224/652

International Classes:

(IPC1-7): A45F003/04

Attorney, Agent or Firm:

Greenberg Traurig, Llp Barry Magidoff G. (885 Third Avenue, New York, NY, 10022, US)

Claims:

1. An adjustable rifle carrier assembly comprises an elongate sleeve configured to encompass a rifle, said sleeve having a front and a rear surface, harness means for securing said sleeve to the back of a user for adjustment in a plane parallel to the spine of the user, said harness means comprising a generally U-shaped yoke adapted to encompass the neck of the user, said yoke having a central portion connected to said rear surface at a medially located position there along, said yoke including spaced depending legs adapted to extend from said rear surface forwardly over the shoulder of the user, first and second connector straps each having an upper end connected to a respective said leg and a lower end connected to said rear surface at a position longitudinally displaced from said lower end, the combination including longitudinal adjustment means interposed between said upper and lower ends of at least one of said straps, whereby the angular position of carrier relative to said user is a function of the adjusted position of said at least one strap.

2. A carrier in accordance with claim 1 wherein each said connection strap includes a said adjustment means.

3. A carrier in accordance with claim 2 including a lateral strap member extending between said connector straps, said lateral strap member including lengthwise adjustment means.

4. A carrier in accordance with claim 3 wherein said lateral strap member comprises two separable components and clamp means on said components for selectively connecting or separating said components.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention is directed to a rifle carrier adapted to adjustably secure a carrier case for a rifle to the back of the user. As used herein, the term “rifle” is intended to encompass a shotgun or an assault weapon.

PRIOR ART

[0002] Conventional rifle carriers are comprised of an elongate sleeve configured to encompass the rifle and ancillary equipment such as a scope. The sleeve includes zippers or like fastening devices enabling the rifle case selectively to be closed for transport or storage or opened to permit extraction of the rifle.

[0003] The typical rifle carrier includes a handle located generally medially of the sleeve to enable the user to carry the case in a more or less balanced condition. Additionally, the conventional case is provided with a sling; i.e., a lengthwise adjustable strap, enabling the rifle to be carried on a shoulder of a user. A drawback of the shoulder sling type rifle carrier resides in the tendency of the case to slip from the shoulder if the sling is carried over one shoulder only, or to impede the freedom of motion of the user if the sling is of the type which encompasses the body of the user.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to an adjustable rifle carrier assembly which comprises an elongate sleeve configured to encompass a rifle. The carrier includes a harness adapted to maintain the rifle case along the back of the wearer whereby the wearer's hands are free of encumbrances. A characterizing feature of the invention resides in the ability of the user to adjust the angular position of the back mounted case relative to the spine of the user.

[0005] Briefly, the harness includes a U-shaped yoke adapted to lie against the back of the neck of the user, the yoke including a spaced pair of depending legs extending from the ends of the yoke over the front of the user. The terminal free ends of the legs have affixed thereto a pair of straps directed downwardly the terminal edges of the straps being secured to the surface of the harness behind the user. The straps are provided with adjustment means for shortening or lengthening the strap. A transverse or lateral strap member extends between the support straps at the front of the wearer. The lateral strap is adjustable lengthwise and includes a central clamp assembly enabling the lateral strap to be opened to enable donning of the carrier. By shortening and/or lengthening the various straps, the carrier is connected to the body of the wearer in a manner which enables the angular relation of the case relative to the user to be varied within a range as desired.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0006] FIG. 1 is a partial frontal view of an individual wearing the rifle case.

[0007] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the rear surface of the case; i.e., the surface which would be exposed when the case is mounted on a user.

[0008] FIG. 3 is a plan view of the rear surface of the case; i.e., the surface which will lie against the back of the user.

[0009] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the assembly viewed in the direction of the back of the user, the outline of the rifle encasing sleeve being depicted in dot and dashed lines, enabling visible access to the rear of the user.

[0010] FIG. 5 is a plan view of the rear surface of the case with the upper portions folded rearwardly, facilitating carrying of the case when the rifle is removed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] In FIG. 1 there is disclosed schematically a frontal view of an individual wearing the gun case. The case includes a carrier sleeve 10 configured to accommodate a weapon, illustratively, a rifle. Illustratively, but without limitation, a typical case would be of a length at least about 53.5 inches.

[0012] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 , attached to the case ( 10 ) is a harness assembly ( 11 ). The harness assembly includes a yoke member ( 12 ) affixed at ( 13 ) to the interior surface; i.e., to the surface which will be disposed against the back of the wearer. The yoke ( 12 ) includes a depending pair of legs ( 14 ) adapted to surround the rear of the neck of the user. Extending from the distal ends 15 of the yoke, are a pair of retaining straps ( 16 ), ( 16 ), the straps including lengthwise adjustable shortening members ( 17 ). The ends ( 18 ) of straps ( 16 ) are secured to the inner face of the sleeve ( 10 ).

[0013] A lateral strap ( 19 ) extends between the vertical straps ( 16 ), the strap ( 19 ) being formed of two components 19 a , 19 b , the components being connectable by a snap fastener which also includes lengthwise adjustment means.

[0014] As disclosed in FIG. 1 , the angle of the case ( 10 ) relative to the wearer may be adjusted in the direction of the arrows ( 2 - 2 ) enabling the user to hold the case at a position most comforting to the individual. By adjusting the effective length of the straps ( 16 ), utilizing the shortening components ( 17 ) which preferably function utilizing a well-known clamp mechanism which incorporates single and double layer components, adjustment may be effected by varying the length of the single and double layer components. Adjustment may also be obtained by overlapping increments of Velcro®.

[0015] Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 , the surface of the case which will be exposed when mounted on the user is provided with a camouflage pattern (C).

[0016] As shown in FIG. 5 , a flap 25 may be folded backward when the rifle is removed from the case, i.e. for use.

[0017] Access to the interior for insertion and removal of the rifle is provided by a U-shaped zipper component ( 27 ) which, in the open condition illustrated in FIG. 3 , enables the flap ( 29 ) to be folded outwardly about fold line ( 30 ).

[0018] From the foregoing, it will be perceived that there is provided in accordance with the present invention a rifle case mountable to the back of the user, thereby leaving the arms and hands of the user free. The device provides a degree of angular adjustment relative to the spine angle of the user, thus enabling the user to adjust the carrier to a condition of greatest comfort.

[0019] As will be apparent to people skilled in the art and familiarized with the instant disclosure, numerous variations in details of structure may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is to be broadly construed within the scope of the appended claims.