Stabilizing device

• US 7,143,986 B1
• Filed: 03/19/2004
• Issued: 12/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 03/20/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: AOA Productions, LLC
• Original Assignee: Delbert L. Austin, Rodney Austin
• Inventors: Austin, Rodney, Austin, Delbert L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chilcot, Jr., Richard E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EPPS, TODD MICHAEL
• Application Number:
  US10/804,794
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 248/187.1, 248/177.1, 248/176.1, 248/127, 248/158, 248/560, 248/562, 248/125.8, 248/188, 248/163.1, 40/710.1, 89/370.1
• US Class Current: 248/187.1
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/08 Bipods
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 27/30 Stabilisation or compensation systems, e.g. compensating for barrel weight or wind force on the barrel
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/22 Balancing or stabilising arrangements on the gun itself, e.g. balancing weights

Abstract

A stabilizing device for reducing or eliminating the vibration in an object to allow for easier and more accurate operation of the object. The stabilizing device includes an object bracket, legs, side arms and front arms. The legs and arms move the vibrations away from the object bracket and the object and eliminate or reduce the vibrations. The legs and arms include a core surrounded by damping material. The damping characteristics of the legs, side arms and front arms can be adjusted by selecting damping material having different damping characteristics depending on the type of object to be used with the stabilizing device and the type of vibrations to be reduced or eliminated.

Claims

1. A stabilizing device for damping vibrations in an object positioned on a surface, which comprises:

(a) a bracket configured to connect to the object;

(b) legs, each leg having a first end and a second end with first damping material between the ends and connected at the first end to the bracket; and

(c) side arms each having a first end and a second end and connected at the first end to the bracket and having second damping material positioned on each side arm and not directly connected to the bracket wherein the second damping material is configured to reduce vibrations in the bracket.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein a forward arm having a first end and a second end forming a longitudinal axis of the forward arm is connected at the first end to the bracket, the forward arm having third damping material positioned along the longitudinal axis of the forward arm to reduce vibrations in the bracket.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is at an angle of approximately 90°

to the longitudinal axis of the forward arm.

4. The device of claim 2 wherein the longitudinal axis of the forward arm is parallel to a longitudinal axis of the object when the object is connected to the bracket.

5. The device of claim 2 wherein the third damping material is spaced apart from the first end of the forward arm.

6. The device of claim 2 wherein the forward arm is connected to the bracket so that when the object is connected to the bracket, the forward arm extends outward from the bracket along the object.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and the ends of each side arm form a longitudinal axis of each side arm and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is at an angle of approximately 90°

to the longitudinal axis of one of the side arms.

8. The device of claim 1 or 2 wherein a plate is pivotably connected to the bracket and wherein the legs are connected to the bracket and the object is connected to the plate so that the object can be pivoted while the legs remain stationary.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein the forward arm is connected to the plate.

10. The device of claim 1 or 2 wherein the bracket includes a first leg and a second leg connected together at an angle by a center portion, and wherein one of the legs is connected to the first leg of the bracket and the other of the legs is connected to the second leg of the bracket.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein one of the side arms is connected to the first leg of the bracket and the other of the side arms is connected to the second leg of the bracket.

12. The device of claim 1 or 2 wherein the first damping material includes a plurality of separable damping units.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein at least two of the separable damping units are constructed of damping material having different damping characteristics for damping different vibration frequencies.

14. The device of claim 1 wherein the second damping material is spaced apart from the first ends of the side arms.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein the first damping material is positioned on the legs to reduce vibrations in the bracket in a first direction and wherein the second damping material reduces vibration in the bracket in a second direction different from the first direction.

16. A stabilizing device for damping vibrations in a firearm positioned on a surface, which comprises:

(a) a bracket configured to connect to the firearm;

(b) legs, each leg having a first end and a second end with first damping material between the ends and connected at the first end to the bracket; and

(c) side arms each having a first end and a second end and connected at the first end to the bracket with second damping material positioned on each side arm and not directly connected to the bracket wherein the second damping material is configured to reduce vibrations in the bracket.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and the ends of each side arm form a longitudinal axis of each side arm and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is at an angle of approximately 90°

to the longitudinal axis of one of the side arms.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein the legs are pivotably connected to the bracket.

19. The device of claim 16 wherein a plate is pivotably connected to the bracket and wherein the firearm is connected to the plate so that the firearm can be pivoted while the legs remain stationary.

20. The device of claim 16 wherein the second damping material is spaced apart from the first ends of the side arms.

21. The device of claim 16 wherein the bracket includes a first leg and a second leg connected together at an angle by a center portion, and wherein one of the legs is connected to the first leg of the bracket and the other of the legs is connected to the second leg of the bracket.

22. The device of claim 21 wherein one of the side arms is connected to the first leg of the bracket and the other of the side arms is connected to the second leg of the bracket.

23. The device of claim 16 wherein the first damping material includes a plurality of separable damping units.

24. The device of claim 23 wherein at least two of the separable damping units are constructed of damping material having different damping characteristics for damping different vibration frequencies.

25. The device of claim 16 wherein the second ends of the legs are provided with feet constructed of a third damping material.

26. The device of claim 16 wherein there are three legs spaced apart approximately 60°

about a vertical axis of the bracket.

27. A stabilizing device for damping vibrations in a firearm positioned on a surface, which comprises:

(a) a bracket configured to connect to the firearm;

(b) legs, each leg having a first end and a second end with the first end of each leg connected to the bracket, each leg having first damping material between the ends; and

(c) a forward arm having a first end and a second end forming a longitudinal axis of the forward arm with the first end of the forward arm connected to the bracket and having second damping material positioned on the forward arm spaced apart from the firearm and configured to reduce vibrations in the bracket.

28. The device of claim 27 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is at an angle of approximately 90°

to the longitudinal axis of the forward arm.

29. The device of claim 28 wherein the legs are pivotably connected to the bracket.

30. The device of claim 27 wherein the bracket includes a plate pivotably connected to a bracket section wherein the legs are connected to the bracket section of the bracket and the firearm is connected to the plate of the bracket so that the firearm can be pivoted while the legs remain stationary.

31. The device of claim 30 wherein the forward arm is connected to the plate.

32. The device of claim 27 wherein the longitudinal axis of the forward arm is parallel to a longitudinal axis of a barrel of the firearm when the firearm is mounted on the bracket.

33. The device of claim 27 wherein the second damping material is spaced apart from the first end of the forward arm.

34. The device of claim 27 wherein the bracket includes a first leg and a second leg connected together at an angle by a center portion, wherein the forward arm is mounted on the center portion of the bracket and wherein one of the legs is connected to the first leg of the bracket and the other one of the legs is connected to the second leg of the bracket.

35. The device of claim 27 wherein the forward arm is connected to the bracket so that when the firearm is connected to the bracket, the forward arm extends outward from the bracket along a barrel of the firearm in a direction opposite a stock of the firearm.

36. The device of claim 27 wherein the first damping material includes a plurality of separable sections.

37. The device of claim 36 wherein each leg has at least two separable sections and wherein at least two of the sections are constructed of leg damping material having different damping characteristics for damping different vibration frequencies.

38. The device of claim 27 wherein the second ends of the legs are provided with feet constructed of a third damping material.

39. The device of claim 27 wherein there are three legs spaced apart approximately 60°

about a vertical axis of the bracket.

40. A stabilizing device for damping vibrations in a firearm positioned on a surface, which comprises:

(a) a bracket configured to connect to the firearm;

(b) legs, each leg having a first end and a second end and connected at the first end to the bracket, and configured so that the second end of each leg contacts the surface, each leg having first damping material;

(c) side arms, each arm having a first end and a second end and connected at the first end to the bracket, each side arm having second damping material positioned to reduce vibrations in the bracket; and

(d) a forward arm having a first end and a second end and connected at the first end to the bracket and having third damping material positioned on the forward arm spaced apart from the firearm and configured to reduce vibrations in the bracket.

41. The device of claim 40 wherein there are three legs spaced apart approximately 60°

about a vertical axis of the bracket.

42. The device of claim 40 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and the ends of each side arm form a longitudinal axis of each side arm and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is at an angle of approximately 90°

to the longitudinal axis of one of the side arms.

43. The device of claim 40 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is at an angle of approximately 90°

to the longitudinal axis of the forward arm.

44. The device of claim 40 wherein the ends of each leg form a longitudinal axis of each leg and the ends of each side arm form a longitudinal axis of each side arm and the ends of the forward arm form a longitudinal axis of the forward arm and wherein the longitudinal axis of one of the legs is approximately at a 90°

angle to the longitudinal axis of one of the side arms and approximately at an 80°

angle to the longitudinal axis of the forward arm.

45. The device of claim 40 wherein the legs are pivotably connected to the bracket.

46. The device of claim 40 wherein the bracket includes a plate pivotably connected to a bracket section, and wherein the legs are connected to the bracket section of the bracket and the firearm is connected to the plate so that the firearm can be pivoted while the legs remain stationary.

47. The device of claim 46 wherein the forward arm is connected to the plate.

48. The device of claim 46 wherein the side arms are connected to the bracket section.

49. The device of claim 40 wherein the longitudinal axis of the forward arm is parallel to a longitudinal axis of a barrel of the firearm when the firearm is mounted on the bracket.

50. The device of claim 40 wherein the second damping material is spaced apart from the first end of the side arms.

51. The device of claim 40 wherein the third damping material is spaced apart from the first end of the forward arm.

52. The device of claim 40 wherein the bracket includes a first leg and a second leg connected together at an angle by a center portion, wherein the forward arm is mounted on the center portion of the bracket and wherein each of the legs and each of the side arms is connected to the first and second legs of the bracket.

53. The device of claim 40 wherein the forward arm is connected to the bracket so that when the firearm is mounted on the bracket, the forward arm extends outward from the bracket along a barrel of the firearm in a direction opposite a stock of the firearm.

54. The device of claim 40 wherein the first damping material includes a plurality of separable sections.

55. The device of claim 54 wherein each leg has at least two separable sections and wherein at least two of the sections are constructed of damping material having different damping characteristics for damping different vibration frequencies.

56. The device of claim 40 wherein there are a plurality of forward arms and wherein the forward arms are spaced apart and parallel.

57. A stabilizing device for damping vibrations in a firearm positioned on a surface, which comprises:

(a) a bracket configured to connect to the firearm;

(b) a leg having a first end and a second end forming a longitudinal axis of the leg with the first end of the leg connected to a center of the bracket;

(c) first damping material positioned on the leg to reduce vibration in the bracket;

(d) side arms, each side arm having a first end and a second end with the first end of each side arm connected to the bracket;

(e) second damping material positioned on each side arm and configured to reduce vibration in the bracket;

(f) a forward arm having a first end and a second end and connected at the first end to the bracket; and

(g) third damping material positioned on the forward arm spaced apart from the firearm and configured to reduce vibration in the bracket.