SELF-CENTRING DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING SCOPES ON RIFLE RIBS

Abstract

A device for supporting scopes, such as telescopes, holographic, laser, red-dot aiming systems, etc., for rifles equipped with rib, is described. The device comprises a body, on which the scope can be fastened, and a plurality of claws slidably mounted on the body. The claws are movable to be opened and closed in response to the displacements imparted by the user to corresponding thrust elements, through a special adjusting grub screw. The body has a longitudinal axis which is aligned with the optical axis of the scope mounted thereon each time. The displacements of the thrust elements take place along the longitudinal axis, while the displacements of the claws take place toward and away from the longitudinal axis, in a direction orthogonal thereto. The device is self-centring, meaning that the claws are closed on the rifle rib, so that the latter is always aligned precisely on the longitudinal axis.

Claims

1. A device for supporting scopes on a rifle having a rib, comprising: a body, having a longitudinal axis and a surface for supporting a scope, and one or more thrust elements mounted on the body, whose longitudinal position is adjustable by the user, at least two claws mounted on the body and constrained to a corresponding thrust element, which are opposed one another with respect to the longitudinal axis, wherein the claws are movable toward and away with respect to the longitudinal axis, in response to the displacements imparted by the user to the corresponding thrust element and can be clamped on the rib of the rifle, and wherein the thrust elements have axial symmetry with respect to the longitudinal axis and the clamping of the rib by the claws takes place with the rib aligned with said longitudinal axis.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the movement imparted by the thrust element to the corresponding claws is synchronised, meaning that for any longitudinal position taken by the respective thrust element, the corresponding claws are located one at the same distance from the longitudinal axis as the other and the device is thus self-centring.

3. Device according to claim 1, comprising a first thrust element and corresponding two claws and comprising a second thrust element and corresponding two claws.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein the thrust elements have: a central portion, coaxial to the longitudinal axis and slidingly housed in a corresponding first seat of the body, and two projections, which extend transversely to the longitudinal axis, and wherein the claws engage said projections.

5. Device according to claim 4, wherein the claws each have an inner guide and the corresponding projection of the respective thrust element is slidably inserted in said inner guide, and the body comprises second seats of the claws, and wherein said second seats extend orthogonally to the longitudinal axis and the claws are inserted in the respective second seats, thus being slidable in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the thrust elements have a central portion coaxial to the longitudinal axis and slidably housed in a corresponding first seat of the body, and the device comprises, for each thrust element, an adjusting screw or grub screw for adjusting the longitudinal position, which is screwed through the body and through the thrust element.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the thrust elements are Y-shaped, with a central portion arranged coaxial to the longitudinal axis, and slidably housed in a corresponding first seat of the body and two projections which extend symmetrically from the central portion, with an angle between 30 and 60, and preferably 45, with respect to the longitudinal axis, and wherein said projections are slidably inserted in an inner guide of the claws, and wherein the body comprises second seats of the claws, and said second seats extend orthogonally to the longitudinal axis and the claws are inserted in the respective second seats, thus being slidable in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis in response to the thrusts imparted by said projections.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the surface for supporting a scope is a removable plate, which can be fastened to the body at its upper portion and has holes for fastening holographic, laser or red-dot aiming systems, or for fastening rings for retaining telescopes.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein the claws are made of brass, or are made of steel and are equipped with a portion made of brass or a coating made of brass or other material at the surface resting against the rib.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein the claws have a lower edge which defines an undercut when it abuts against a ventilated rib.

11. Use of the device claim 1 for removably locking a telescope or holographic, laser or red-dot aiming systems on a rib of a rifle, preferably a ventilated rib.

Description

BRIEF LIST OF THE FIGURES

[0041] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer in the review of the following detailed description of a preferred, although not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated by way of example and without limitations with the aid of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0042] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a supporting device according to the present invention;

[0043] FIG. 2 is a front elevation view of the supporting device shown in FIG. 1;

[0044] FIG. 3 is a plan and sectional view of the supporting device shown in FIG. 1;

[0045] FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the supporting device shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0046] The accompanying FIGS. 1-4 show a supporting device 1 according to the present invention, comprising a body 3, preferably of steel, intended to be removably hooked to a rib 2 of a rifle, preferably a ventilated rib 2.

[0047] The body 3 has a longitudinal axis 4 which, during the use of the rifle and the supporting device 1, is aligned with the rib 2 and, therefore, with the line of sight of the firearm.

[0048] In the example shown in the figures, the body 3 houses two thrust elements 6, 7 aligned on the longitudinal axis 4 and movable along said longitudinal axis 4, in both directions, in corresponding seats 13. In general, however, the supporting device 1 comprises at least one thrust element 6, 7, preferably two.

[0049] The longitudinal displacement of the thrust elements 6 and 7 is controlled by a corresponding adjusting screw or grub screw 19 screwed both through the body 3 of the device 1 and through the same thrust element 6, 7, just along the longitudinal axis 4. The clockwise/counter-clockwise rotation of the adjusting screw or grub screw 19 causes the forward or backward displacement of the corresponding thrust element 6, 7 in its seat 13.

[0050] Each thrust element 6, 7 comprises a central portion 12, which is slidably housed in the seat 13 of the body 3, so as to be coaxial to the longitudinal axis 4. Through the adjusting screw or grub screw 19, the user inserts the respective thrust element 6, 7 in the seat 13, or extracts it, until the thrust element 6, 7 reaches the desired position, where it remains locked until it is readjusted.

[0051] Two projections 14, 15 extend from the central portion 12 of each thrust element 6, 7 in a transverse direction with respect to the longitudinal axis 4, preferably a direction which forms an angle between 30 and 60 with the longitudinal axis 4 and more preferably of 45 as in the example shown. As can be seen from the figures, this configuration corresponds to a Y-shape of the thrust elements 6, 7, which is clearly visible especially in FIG. 3.

[0052] The thrust elements 6 and 7 just described are symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 4, i.e. they have axial symmetry and this characteristic, as will now be explained, allows to achieve the self-centring function of the supporting device 1.

[0053] The supporting device 1 comprises two claws 8-9 and 10-11 for each of the thrust elements 6, 7. In the example shown in the figures, therefore, there are four claws 8-11, two left claws 8 and 10 and two right claws 9 and 11. The claws 8-11 engage the projections 14, 15 of the respective thrust element 6, 7: in particular, [0054] the first left claw 8 engages the right projection 14 of the first thrust element 6; [0055] the first right claw 9 engages the left projection 15 of the first thrust element 6; [0056] the second left claw 10 engages the left projection 14 of the second thrust element 7; [0057] the second left claw 11 engages the left projection 15 of the second thrust element 7.

[0058] The coupling between the projections 14-15 and the respective claws 8-11 is of the sliding type: the claws 8-11 are each provided with an inner guide seat 16, which is oriented so as to have, with respect to the longitudinal axis 4, the same inclination as the corresponding projection 14 and 15 of the thrust element 6, 7. The projections 14 and 15 are slidably inserted in the inner guide 16 of the respective claw 8-11.

[0059] The body 3 of the supporting device 1 comprises, for each of the claws 8-11, a corresponding sliding seat 17, in which the claw 8-11 is moveable in both directions. The seats 17 are oriented orthogonal to the longitudinal axis 4 and, therefore, the claws 8-11 are constrained to move exclusively toward the longitudinal axis 4, to close against the rib 2 and clamp it, and away from the longitudinal axis 4, to release the rib 2 and disengage the supporting device 1 from the rifle.

[0060] The described configuration allows to achieve this operation: observing FIG. 3 when the user, by rotating the adjusting screw 19, displaces the thrust element 6 toward the right, causes the at least partial insertion of the central portion 12 in the seat 13, and the projections 14 and 15, moving toward the right, apply a thrust to the claws 8 and 9 which results in the outward sliding of the claws 8 and 9 in the seats 17, i.e. for their opening (the claws 8 and 9 are spread apart), by virtue of the sliding of the projections 14 and 15 in the inner guides 16 of the claws 8 and 9 on 45-inclined planes. Vice versa, when the user, by rotating the adjusting screw 19, displaces the thrust element 6 toward the left, causes the at least partial extraction of the central portion 12 from the seat 13, and the projections 14 and 15, moving toward the left, apply a thrust on the claws 8 and 9 which results in the inward sliding of the claws 8 and 9 in the seats 17, i.e. for their closing (the claws 8 and 9 move close to each other), by virtue of the sliding of the projections 14 and 15 in the inner guides 16 of the claws 8 and 9 on 45-inclined planes.

[0061] The same takes place for the other thrust element 7 with the respective claws 10 and 11.

[0062] Since the projections 14 and 15 of the thrust elements 6, 7 are identical and symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis 4, the claws 8-9 and 10-11 move synchronously and are always located at the same distance from the longitudinal axis 4 for each position of the respective thrust element 6, 7. This is why the supporting device 1 can be defined as self-centring.

[0063] The consequence is that the rib 2 clamped by the claws 8-11 is always aligned automatically with the longitudinal axis 4, as shown in FIG. 2, when the user clamps it. This is a great advantage because the aim precision is guaranteed, considering that even the optical axis of the scope supported by the device 1 is always aligned with the longitudinal axis 4 and, therefore, aligned with the rib 2.

[0064] The scopes can be mounted on the upper surface 5 of the body 3 of the device 1. Such surface 5 is preferably, as well shown in FIG. 4, a removable plate screwed to the body 3. The plate 5 is provided with projections 5 and/or holes 5 for fastening the scopes, or alternatively dovetail rails, grooves, etc. The plate 5 is interchangeable in order to allow the mounting of different scopes on the device 1, depending on the shooter's needs at the time. Obviously, all the scopes mounted each time will be perfectly centred, i.e. aligned, as described above.

[0065] With reference to FIG. 4, the claws 8-11 are preferably made of steel, like the body 3, but in order to avoid damaging the rib 2, a portion 8, 9, 10 11 of the claws 8-11 precisely the one that contacts the ribis made of brass. These are, basically, blocks screwed to each other. Alternatively, the claws 8-11 are entirely made of brass or other material or are at least partially coated with brass.

[0066] With reference to FIGS. 2 and 4, the claws 8-11 have a lower edge 18 which protrudes, with respect to the inner face of the respective claw 8-11, toward the longitudinal axis 4, to create an undercut with the rib 2. In fact the ribs 2, especially the so-called ventilated ribs, have a substantially T-shaped cross-section, and the edges 18 of the claws 8-11 engage under the horizontal portion of the T in order to maximise the seal, i.e. to ensure the grip effectiveness, so that the supporting device 1 does not move even when the rifle recoil and jump are considerable.