Bipod

{
  "publication_number": "US10408555B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Bipod",
  "abstract": "A bipod has a first frame portion, the first frame portion having a mounting facility adapted to connect to a firearm, a second frame portion connected to the first frame portion, at least a first leg connected to the second frame portion, the first frame portion and second frame portion being connected by way of a ball and socket joint, and the legs being movable with respect to the second frame portion between a stowed position in which they are adjacent the firearm and a deployed position in which they extend away from the firearm. The ball and socket joint may include at least one of the first and second frame portions having a ball element having a convex spherical surface portion, and the other of the first and second frame portions having a concave surface portion closely receiving the convex spherical surface portion to limit relative translational motion.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A bipod comprising: a first frame portion; the first frame portion having a mounting facility adapted to connect to a firearm; a second frame portion connected to the first frame portion; at least a first leg connected to the second frame portion; the first frame portion and second frame portion being connected by way of a ball and socket joint; the at least a first leg being movable with respect to the second frame portion between a stowed position in which they are adjacent the firearm and a deployed position in which they extend away from the firearm; and the first frame portion and second frame portion remaining in fixed relation to each other as the at least a first leg moves between the stowed and deployed positions.",
    "2. The bipod of claim 1 wherein the ball and socket joint includes at least one of the first and second frame portions having a ball element having a convex spherical surface portion, and the other of the first and second frame portions having a concave surface portion closely receiving the convex spherical surface portion to limit relative translational motion.",
    "3. The bipod of claim 1 wherein the first frame portion has an upper portion including a rail clamp and has a lower portion defining a downwardly facing spherical receptacle surface.",
    "4. The bipod of claim 1 including a rotational constraint facility adapted to provide a first selected range of rotational motion about a first axis, a second selected range of motion about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis, and to prevent motion about a third axis perpendicular to the first and second axes.",
    "5. The bipod of claim 4 wherein the firearm defines a medial vertical plane and the third axis is perpendicular to the plane.",
    "6. The bipod of claim 1 wherein the second frame portion includes a ball element and opposed leg mounting facilities connected to the ball element.",
    "7. The bipod of claim 6 wherein the leg mounting facilities each define a respective leg pivot axis.",
    "8. The bipod of claim 6 wherein the leg mounting facilities are planar elements each defining a plurality of detent elements, and wherein each leg has a latch facility adapted to secure the leg into a plurality of positions, each associated with a respective detent.",
    "9. The bipod of claim 1 including an adjustable clamp facility connected to the first and second frame portions and operable to selectably fix the second frame portion to the first frame portion.",
    "10. The bipod of claim 1 wherein each of the first frame portion and the second frame portion defines a hemispherical recess.",
    "11. The bipod of claim 10 including a clamp facility connected to the first and second frame portions and adapted to selectably bias them together to secure a ball element within the hemispherical recesses.",
    "12. A bipod comprising: a first frame portion; the first frame portion having a mounting facility adapted to connect to a firearm; a second frame portion connected to the first frame portion, at least a first leg connected to the second frame portion; the first frame portion and second frame portion being connected by way of a ball and socket joint; the legs being movable with respect to the second frame portion between a stowed position in which they are adjacent the firearm and a deployed position in which they extend away from the firearm; wherein the ball and socket joint includes at least one of the first and second frame portions having a ball element having a convex spherical surface portion, and the other of the first and second frame portions having a concave surface portion closely receiving the convex spherical surface portion to limit relative translational motion, and wherein at least one of the convex spherical surface portion and the concave spherical portion defines a channel and the other of the convex spherical surface portion and the concave spherical portion includes a protrusion received within the channel when the convex spherical surface portion and the concave spherical portion, such that the relative rotational position of the first frame portion and second frame is limited by the protrusion in the channel.",
    "13. The bipod of claim 12 wherein the firearm defines a medial vertical plane, and the channel is transverse to the plane to limit forward and aft movement of the leg.",
    "14. A bipod comprising: a first frame portion; the first frame portion having an upper portion including a mounting facility adapted to connect to a firearm and a lower portion connected to the upper portion; the upper portion and lower portion defining a socket; a second frame portion connected to the first frame portion and including a ball configured to be closely received in the socket; at least a first leg connected to the second frame portion; and an adjustable clamp facility connected to the first and second frame portions and operable to selectably fix the second frame portion to the first frame portion.",
    "15. The bipod of claim 14 further comprising the at least a first leg being movable with respect to the second frame portion between a stowed position in which the at least a first leg is adjacent the firearm and a deployed position in which the at least a first leg extends away from the firearm.",
    "16. The bipod of claim 14 wherein the socket defines a hemispherical recess.",
    "17. The bipod of claim 16 including a clamp facility connected to the first and second frame portions and adapted to selectably bias them together to secure the ball within the hemispherical recesses."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a bipod that can function as a stand, a brace against the user's body, or a handle.\n\nA bipod is an attachment, usually to a firearm, that helps support and steady it. Bipods provide significant stability along two axes of motion (side-to-side, and up-and-down). On firearms, bipods are most frequently used on long-barreled weapons such as rifles and machine guns to provide a forward rest and reduce motion. Bipods enable shooters to easily rest their firearm on objects, like the ground or a wall, reducing their fatigue and increasing accuracy and stability. Bipods can also be useful to support the firearm when it is not being fired or is being cleaned. Some bipods have legs of a fixed length, while other bipods have length adjustable legs. Some can be tilted, with their tilting point close to the barrel's central axis, allowing the weapon to tilt left and right. The tilting capability enables the user to compensate for canting of the firearm that would otherwise occur if a shooter is shooting on the side of a hill. Some designs also allow the weapon to pan side-to-side. The legs of the bipod can be folded towards the shooter or away from the shooter when not in use.\n\nAlthough the numerous conventional bipods with adjustable length legs are generally suitable for their intended use, they suffer from the disadvantages that they can require the manipulation of complex latching mechanisms to deploy the legs and/or to adjust the length of legs.",
  "cpc": [
    "F41A 23/10"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F41A 23/10"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "Wsm Manufacturing LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Kenneth U. Flood, JR.",
    "Jose Perales",
    "Gary D. McGuire",
    "Isaiah Caducoy"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2017-12-26",
  "publication_date": "2019-09-10",
  "grant_date": "2019-09-10",
  "priority_date": "2017-01-14",
  "application_number": "US-201715854151-A",
  "family_id": "62841362",
  "cited_by_count": 23,
  "citations": [
    "US1986818A",
    "US2436349A",
    "US3327422A",
    "US5194678A",
    "US20020050088A1",
    "US20050188597A1",
    "US20050242250A1",
    "US6829857B1",
    "US7426800B2",
    "US8402684B1",
    "US7614174B1",
    "US20070079541A1",
    "US7823316B2",
    "US20090126250A1",
    "US20110126444A1",
    "US20160265864A1",
    "US20140115940A1",
    "US9151562B1",
    "US20150121741A1",
    "US9255751B1",
    "US20160209172A1",
    "US9581403B2",
    "US20170205180A1",
    "US20170299317A1",
    "US20180180375A1",
    "US20180202746A1"
  ]
}