Abstract
A guard for protecting the scope and action of a hunting rifle or the action of a shotgun. The guard can be folded around the scope and action of the rifle or around the action of the shotgun and is held in place by magnets positioned along opposite edges of the guard. The other edges of the guard are gathered by elastic material so that when the guard is folded around the scope and action of the rifle or around the action of the shotgun, the other edges form a cuff around the pistol grip of the rifle or shotgun and a cuff around the forend of the rifle or shotgun.
Claims
1. An article for use with a firearm, the firearm comprising a stock having a pistol grip portion, an action attached to the stock, a forend attached to the action and a telescope sight attached to the action and/or the forend, the article comprising: a sheet of flexible material comprising first, second, third and fourth edges, the first and second edges being on the opposite sides of the sheet of flexible material, the third and fourth edges being on the opposite sides of the sheet of flexible material and orthogonal to the first and second edges; the third and fourth edges comprising a draw cord extending from a midsection of the third and fourth edges so that the third and fourth edges are gathered when draw cord is pulled from a location near said midsection of the third and fourth edges; the first and second edges comprising magnetic elements positioned at or near the ends of the first and second edges so that when the article is folded around the telescope sight and action of the firearm the first and second edges of the article are held together by magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements while the gathered third and fourth edges form a cuff around the pistol grip of the stock and a cuff around the forend with the draw cord extending from a midsection of the third and fourth edges positioned away from the first and second edges.
2. The article of claim 1 wherein the magnetic elements of the first and second edges comprise corresponding permanent magnets.
3. The article of claim 1 wherein the magnetic elements of the first and second edges comprise a permanent magnet matched with a ferromagnetic material.
4. The article of claim 2 further comprising another sheet of flexible material the edge of which is sewn to the sheet of flexible material to form a hem along the first, second, third and fourth edges of the sheet of flexible material, the draw cord of the third and fourth edges being contained in the hems along the third and fourth edges, the magnetic elements of the first and second edges being contained in the hems along the first and second edges.
5. The article of claim 3 further comprising another sheet of flexible material the edge of which is sewn to the sheet of flexible material to form a hem along the first, second, third and fourth edges of the sheet of flexible material, the draw cord of the third and fourth edges being contained in the hems along the third and fourth edges, the magnetic elements of the first and second edges being contained in the hems along the first and second edges.
6. The article of claim 4, wherein one sheet of flexible material is colored hunter orange while the other sheet of flexible material comprises a camouflage pattern.
7. The article of claim 5, wherein one sheet of flexible material is colored hunter orange while the other sheet of flexible material comprises a camouflage pattern.
8. The article of claim 4, further comprising additional magnetic elements contained in the middle sections of the hems along the first and second edges.
9. The article of claim 4, further comprising additional magnetic elements contained in the middle sections of the hems along the first and second edges.
10. The article of claim 5, wherein the draw cord is held in its pulled condition near said midsection of the third and fourth edges by a knot tied in the draw cord near said midsection of the third and fourth edges.
11. The article of claim 5, wherein the draw cord is held in its pulled condition near said midsection of the third and fourth edges by a cord lock engaging with the draw cord positioned near said midsection of the third and fourth edges.
12. The article of claim 10, wherein the draw cord is an elastic draw cord.
13. The article of claim 11, wherein the draw cord is an elastic draw cord.
14. A method for covering and uncovering the telescope sight and action of a firearm comprising a stock having a pistol grip portion, an action attached to the stock, a forend attached to the action and a telescope sight attached to the action and/or the forend, the method comprising the steps of: folding the article of claim 1 around the telescope sight and action of the firearm so that the first and second edges of the article are held together by magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements; pulling the draw cords from the midsection of the third and fourth edges to gather the third and fourth edges to form a cuff around the pistol grip of the stock and a cuff around the forend to cover the telescope sight and action of the firearm; and pulling the first and second edges of the article with sufficient force to overcome the magnetic attraction of the magnetic elements to uncover the telescope sight and action of the firearm without the need to attend to the draw cords.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) FIG. 1 is a top view of a highly preferred article of the instant invention comprised of a sheet of camouflage patterned fabric sewn to a sheet of hunter orange fabric with side hems containing magnets and end hems containing elastic cord shown extended so that the article lays flat;
(2) FIG. 2 is a top view of the article of FIG. 1 with the elastic cord of the end hems relaxed to gather the ends of the article;
(3) FIG. 3 is a top view of the article of FIG. 2 turned over to show camouflaged side of the article;
(4) FIG. 4 is a top view of the central portion of a scoped rifle laid on the article of FIG. 3;
(5) FIG. 5 is a top view of the article of FIG. 4 after it has been folded over to cover the central portion of the scoped rifle; and
(6) FIG. 6 is a top view of the article of FIG. 3 after it has been folded over to cover the central portion of a scoped rifle
(7) FIG. 7 is a top view of another highly preferred article of the instant invention comprised of a sheet of camouflage patterned fabric sewn to a sheet of hunter orange fabric with side hems containing magnets and end hems containing a draw cord shown in an undrawn state so that the article lays flat;
(8) FIG. 8 is a top view of the article of FIG. 7 with the draw cords of the end hems pulled and fixed by a cord lock to gather the ends of the article;
(9) FIG. 9 is a top view of the article of FIG. 8 turned over to show camouflaged side of the article;
(10) FIG. 10 is a top view of the central portion of a scoped rifle laid on the article of FIG. 9;
(11) FIG. 11 is a top view of the article of FIG. 10 after it has been folded over to cover the central portion of the scoped rifle; and
(12) FIG. 12 is a top view of the article of FIG. 9 after it has been folded over to cover the central portion of a scoped rifle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
(13) Referring now to FIG. 1, therein is shown a highly preferred article 10 for use with a rifle or a shotgun. Article 10 is comprised of a first sheet 11 of a camouflage pattern rip stop woven nylon fabric sewn to second sheet 12 of hunter orange rip stop nylon fabric by stitching 14 to form hem 23 in first side 27, hem 24 in second side 28, hem 25 in third side 21 and hem 26 in fourth side 22 of article 10. Coin shaped neodymium magnets 15 are sewn into hems 23 and 24. Elastic cord 13 (shown extended) is sewn into hems 25 and 26. Napped rubber grip panels 16 and 17 are applied to sheet 12.
(14) Referring now to FIG. 2, therein is shown article 10 shown in FIG. 1 with the elastic cord sewn into hems 25 and 26 relaxed to gather the ends 21 and 22 of article 10. Referring now to FIG. 3, therein is shown the other side of article 10 shown in FIG. 2. Napped rubber grip panels 16a and 17a are applied to sheet 11.
(15) Referring now to FIG. 4, therein is shown rifle 18 placed on article 10 as shown in FIG. 2. Rifle 18 comprises stock 18d having a pistol grip portion 18b, action 18e attached to stock 18d, forend 18e attached to action 18e and telescope sight 18a attached to action 18e by rings 18f. Referring now to FIG. 5, therein is shown article 10 folded around rifle 18 shown in FIG. 4 folded along fold line 20 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 so that the magnets sewn into hem 23 are magnetically attracted to the magnets sewn into hem 24. Gathered hem 26 forms a cuff around pistol grip stock 18b. Gathered hem 25 forms a cuff around forend 18c. Article 10 is quickly and quietly removed from rifle 18 by pulling hem 23 to release the magnets sewn into hem 23 and hem 24. Referring now to FIG. 6, therein is shown article 10 as shown in FIG. 3 folded around rifle 18 so that sheet 12 comprised of hunter orange is exposed. Pocket 19 is preferably attached to sheet 12 for containing information such as wind deflection and bullet drop data. Although not shown, sheet 11 can also be provided with such a pocket. It should be understood that any number of such pockets can be attached to one or both sides of the guard of the instant invention and that such pockets can have a clear window so that information contained in a pocket can be read through the window.
(16) Referring now to FIG. 7, therein is shown another highly preferred article 10a for use with a rifle or a shotgun similar to the article 10 depicted in FIG. 1. Article 10a is comprised of a first sheet 11 of a camouflage pattern rip stop woven nylon fabric sewn to second sheet 12 of hunter orange rip stop nylon fabric by stitching 14 to form hem 23 in first side 27, hem 24 in second side 28, hem 25 in third side 21 and hem 26 in fourth side 22 of article 10a. Coin shaped neodymium magnets 15 are sewn into hems 23 and 24. Draw cord 13 is sewn into hems 25 and 26 emerging from grommet 13b and looped through cord lock 13a. The distal ends of cord 13 are sewn to hems 25 and 26. Napped rubber grip panels 16 and 17 are applied to sheet 12.
(17) Referring now to FIG. 8, therein is shown article 10a shown in FIG. 7 with draw cord 13 sewn into hems 25 and 26 drawn and fixed by cord locks 13b to gather the ends 21 and 22 of article 10a. Referring now to FIG. 8, therein is shown the other side of article 10a shown in FIG. 8. Napped rubber grip panels 16a and 17a are applied to sheet 11.
(18) Referring now to FIG. 10, therein is shown rifle 18 placed on article 10a as shown in FIG. 8. Rifle 18 comprises stock 18d having a pistol grip portion 18b, action 18e attached to stock 18d, forend 18e attached to action 18e and telescope sight 18a attached to action 18e by rings 18f. Referring now to FIG. 11, therein is shown article 10a folded around rifle 18 shown in FIG. 10a folded along fold line 20 shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 so that the magnets sewn into hem 23 are magnetically attracted to the magnets sewn into hem 24. Gathered hem 26 forms a cuff around pistol grip stock 18b. Gathered hem 25 forms a cuff around forend 18c. Article 10a is quickly and quietly removed from rifle 18 by pulling hem 23 to release the magnets sewn into hem 23 and hem 24. Referring now to FIG. 12, therein is shown article 10a as shown in FIG. 9 folded around rifle 18 so that sheet 12 comprised of hunter orange is exposed. Pocket 19 is preferably attached to sheet 12 for containing information such as wind deflection and bullet drop data. Although not shown, sheet 11 can also be provided with such a pocket. It should be understood that any number of such pockets can be attached to one or both sides of the guard of the instant invention and that such pockets can have a clear window so that information contained in a pocket can be read through the window. The cuff around the pistol grip of the rifle or shotgun and a cuff around the forend of the rifle or shotgun is preferably initially adjusted for a specific rifle or shotgun when setting out for hunting with the rifle or shotgun so that the article of the instant invention can be silently removed and reapplied to that specific rifle or shotgun, the cuffs having been custom fitted for that specific rifle or shotgun.
(19) The components of the instant invention can be made of any suitable material. For example, a sheet of GORTEX brand waterproof material (or similar waterproof material) can be used between the sheets 11 and 12 of article 10 and 10a shown in FIGS. 1 and 7. Although article 10 and 10a shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 comprises two sheets of fabric sewn together so that one side has a camouflage pattern while the other side shows hunter orange, it should be understood that a single sheet of flexible material can be used. The napped rubber grips 16, 16a, 17 and 17a are optional but preferred to provide a better grip on a rifle or shotgun protected by the article of the instant invention. Although article 10 and 10a shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 uses magnets in hem 23 and in hem 24 it should be understood that the magnets in hem 23 or in hem 24 can optionally correspond with a ferromagnetic material such as steel. Although article 10 and 10a shown in FIGS. 1 and 7 uses two magnets in the center portion of hems 23 and 24, it should be understood that one or three or four or five or more magnets can be used in the instant invention. The sheet or sheets of flexible material used in the instant invention can be any suitable material such as a woven or nonwoven synthetic material such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) or any natural material such as cotton or wool. Although article 10 shown in FIG. 1 uses elastic cord 13, any suitable elastic material can be used in the instant invention. Cord 13 shown in FIGS. 7-12 can be, without limitation thereto, an elastic cord. Although cord 13 shown in FIGS. 7-12 is shown as a looped cord, it should be understood that cord 13 can be separate cord lengths fixed by, for example and without limitation thereto, a knot tied near grommet 13b.
CONCLUSION
(20) While the instant invention has been described above according to its preferred embodiments, it can be modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the instant invention using the general principles disclosed herein. Further, the instant application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within the known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains.
