Universal camera mounting assembly

• US 6,425,697 B1
• Filed: 03/13/2000
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Allen, Richard M., Jeff C. Potts
• Original Assignee: Allen, Richard M., Jeff C. Potts
• Inventors: Allen, Richard M., Potts, Jeff C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Adams, Russell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, Arthur A
• Application Number:
  US09/524,649
• Time in Patent Office: 869 Days
• Field of Search: 396/419, 396/420, 396/426, 396/429, 396/7, 396/12, 396/13, 396/421, 396/422, 421/06, 352/243
• US Class Current: 396/426
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/00 Adaptations for training adaptations of barrels for recoil reinforcement F41A21/26; Gun simulators teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26 ; shooting games A63F9/02; military simulation G09B9/003
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/00 Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 29/00 Combinations of cameras, projectors or photographic printing apparatus with non-photographic non-optical apparatus, e.g. clocks or weapons; Cameras having the shape of other objects combinations with flash apparatus G03B15/03

Abstract

A camera mounting assembly for a weapon is provided. The mounting assembly includes a mount for direct attachment to the weapon. A parallelogram linkage includes a pair of depending swing arms, each of which is pivotally secured at one end in the mount and at the opposite end in a camera support. The support also includes a transverse slot for receiving a stud or other mount carried by a camera. When the weapon is discharged, the swing arms allow the camera and support to together swing to and fro in response to the forces generated. During this swinging motion, the support and hence the camera are both maintained substantially aligned with the line-of-sight of the weapon at all times, thereby ensuring that the shoot is reliably captured. Dampers may also be provided to dampen the swinging motion of the camera created upon discharge. The combination of the swinging and damping improves the capture of the shoot by reducing the effects of the recoil or discharge forces. Also, since the camera is not in direct contact with the weapon, the potential for shock damage is significantly reduced.

Claims

1. An assembly for mounting a camera to a structure, comprising:

a mount for attachment to the structure;

a camera support; and

a pair of depending swing arms extending between said mount and said camera support and forming a parallelogram linkage,

whereby said at least one swing arm allows said camera support to swing to and fro while keeping a line of sight of the camera substantially parallel to the mount at all times.

2. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 1, further including a damper associated with at least one of said pair of swing arms to assist in resisting the swinging motion of said support.

3. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said damper includes at least one spring extending between one of said pair of swing arms and said support, whereby said at least one spring dampens the ability of the camera support to swing to and fro.

4. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said camera support includes a slot for receiving a mounting subassembly carried by the camera.

5. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 4, wherein said mounting subassembly is adjustable to ensure that the camera is properly aligned.

6. An assembly for mounting a camera to a weapon to reduce the effects of recoil and shock forces upon discharge, comprising:

a mount for attachment to the weapon;

a camera support; and

first and second swing arms extending between said mount and said camera support;

whereby said swing arms maintain the camera and said support aligned with the line-of-sight of the weapon at all times and translate the recoil force acting upon the camera and said support upon discharge of the weapon into swinging motion.

7. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein said weapon is a rifle having a grip and a projecting stud and said mount includes a mounting plate having a contoured upper surface for engaging said grip and a transverse slot for receiving said projecting stud.

8. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein said mount includes:

a mounting plate having a channel for receiving each of said swing arms and a transverse slot;

an adaptor for attachment to said mounting plate, said adaptor including a body having an aperture for receiving an end cap carried by a grip on a firearm, a contoured upper surface for abutting with a barrel on the firearm, and a depending stud for insertion in said transverse slot in said mounting plate;

a fastener for attachment to said depending stud to hold said adaptor on said mounting plate.

9. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein said mount includes:

a mounting plate having a pair of channels for receiving a first end of each of said swing arms and a transverse slot;

an adaptor for attachment to said mounting plate, said adaptor including a body having a removable side portion partially defining an aperture for receiving a similarly shaped tube-like structure on the weapon and a depending stud for insertion in said transverse slot in said mounting plate;

a fastener for attachment to said depending stud to hold said adaptor on said mounting plate.

10. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein said mount includes a projecting stud for insertion in a corresponding bore in the weapon, whereby said mount is held in a cantilevered position relative to the weapon.

11. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 6, wherein said mount includes:

a first member having a projecting stud for insertion in a corresponding bore formed in a bow, said first member carrying a pivot pin and having an aperture formed therein;

a fastener including a shank having an end for insertion in said aperture; and

a second member having an aperture for receiving said pivot pin projecting from said first member and a slot for receiving a portion of the shank of said fastener.

12. The apparatus according to claim 6, wherein a damper is provided for resisting the swinging motion of said camera and support, whereby said damper absorbs substantially all of the recoil force created when the weapon is discharged.

13. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 12, wherein said damper includes:

a first spring extending between said first swing arm and said camera support; and

a second spring extending between said second swing arm and said camera support;

whereby said first and second springs dampen the tendency for said swing arms, and hence the camera and camera support, to swing to and fro when the weapon is discharged.

14. An apparatus for capturing the discharge of a weapon on film, comprising:

a camera;

a mounting plate for attachment to the weapon;

a camera support;

a parallelogram linkage extending between said mounting plate and said camera support, said linkage permitting said camera and said support to swing to and fro when the weapon is discharged; and

a damper for engaging said parallelogram linkage and dampening the ability of said camera and said support to swing to and fro when the weapon is discharged.

15. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 14, wherein said parallelogram linkage includes first and second swing arms.

16. The camera mounting assembly according to claim 15, wherein said damper includes:

a first spring extending between said first swing arm and said camera support; and

a second spring extending between said second swing arm and said camera support;

whereby said first and second springs dampen the tendency for said swing arms and said support to swing to and fro when the weapon is discharged.

17. A method of reliably capturing a single shot or shoot on films comprising:

mounting a camera to a weapon such that the camera swings to and fro along an arcuate path in response to any force created when the weapon is discharged, while at all times keeping the camera substantially aligned with the line-of-sight of the weapon; and

activating the camera to record the shot or shoot.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein mounting the camera further includes extending a pair of depending swing arms between a mount on the weapon and a support attached to the camera, whereby said swing arms allow the camera and support to swing to and fro when the weapon is discharged.

19. The method according to claim 17, further including damping the swinging motion of the camera to ensure that the shoot is reliably captured on film.