U.S. patent number 3,927,923 [Application Number 05/276,249] was granted by the patent office on 1975-12-23 for gun rack.
Invention is credited to Ray D. Kimmel.
United States Patent |
3,927,923 |
Kimmel |
December 23, 1975 |
Gun rack
Abstract
An improved cabinet-enclosed, power-rotated gun rack is
provided.
Inventors: |
Kimmel; Ray D. (Ashland,
PA) |
Family
ID: |
23055838 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/276,249 |
Filed: |
July 28, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
312/125;
211/64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A47F
5/025 (20130101); A47B 81/005 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47F
5/025 (20060101); A47F 5/02 (20060101); A47B
81/00 (20060101); A47B 049/00 (); A47F
007/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;312/252,125,135,59,305,223 ;211/64,70,131,145,129 ;108/103
;248/349 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Gilliam; Paul R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Caser; A. H.
Claims
I claim:
1. In a gun rack comprising a cabinet having a floor and a top wall
and a rotatable post therebetween, bearing means at the upper and
lower end portions of the post to facilitate rotation thereof, an
upper rotor on the post for supporting gun barrels, a lower rotor
on the post for supporting gun butts, drive means for rotating the
post, and power means beneath said floor for operating said drive
means, the improvement comprising
a reduced lower end portion on the post which extends through and
is engaged by the lower rotor, said lower bearing means supporting
said reduced lower post end portion and being supported by a
stationary bearing support means which in turn rests on and is
attached to said floor, said lower bearing means comprising a
tapered roller bearing having inner and outer races, said outer
race being engaged by said reduced lower post end portion and being
rotatable therewith, said stationary bearing support means having a
portion which engages said inner race to hold the latter
stationary, and said post having a portion of increased diameter
above the lower rotor to facilitate securing the latter to the
post,
said upper rotor having a plurality of recesses in the peripheral
edge thereof each of which receives and supports a gun barrel
adjacent the muzzle thereof, a barrel-supporting recessed removable
insert in the peripheral edge of the upper rotor between each pair
of adjacent peripheral recesses, each of said peripheral and insert
recesses having a cushion liner for soft engagement with a gun
barrel,
said lower rotor having a plurality of gun butt-receiving recesses,
a butt-supporting piece in the floor of each said gun butt
receiving recesses, each said piece being surrounded by the lateral
walls of said recess, said piece and said walls helping to
stabilize the position of a gun on said rack, and said lower rotor
having between each pair of adjacent gun butt-receiving recesses an
added removable gun butt-supporting piece having butt-retaining
walls,
said inserts of the upper rotor and said added pieces of the lower
rotor serving to increase the gun holding capacity of the rack,
said drive means for rotating the post extending through said floor
and into the post to operatively engage the latter,
said cabinet having a transparent door through which guns on the
rack may be examined, a headpiece over the door, a pair of spaced
switches on the back side of the headpiece one of which energizes a
lamp-containing circuit and the other of which energizes a circuit
containing said power means, each switch having a switch-operating
shank extending through the headpiece and terminating on the front
side thereof in a button end, a pivoted manually movable actuator
on the front side of the headpiece engageable with one button or
the other and operative to actuate one switch or the other, and
said switch which energizes the power means-containing circuit
having spring means associated with the shank thereof so that the
latter moves against the action of said spring means, whereby said
actuator must be held in button end-engaging position in order to
rotate the post.
2. In a gun rack comprising a cabinet having a floor and a top wall
and a rotatable post therebetween, bearing means at the upper and
lower end portions of the post to facilitate rotation thereof, an
upper rotor on the post for supporting gun barrels, a lower rotor
on the post for supporting gun butts, a plurality of gun
butt-supporting means on said lower rotor, drive means for rotating
the post, and power means beneath the floor for operating the drive
means, the improvement comprising
a plurality of recesses in the peripheral edge of said upper rotor
each of which receives and supports a gun barrel adjacent the
muzzle thereof, and a barrel-supporting recessed removable insert
in the peripheral edge of the upper rotor between each pair of
adjacent peripheral recesses,
said lower rotor having between each pair of said gun butt
supporting means an added removable gun butt-supporting piece
having butt-retaining walls,
said inserts of the upper rotor and said added pieces of the lower
rotor serving to increase the gun holding capacity of the rack,
said cabinet having a transparent door through which guns on the
rack may be examined, a headpiece over the door, a pair of spaced
switches on the back side of the headpiece one of which energizes a
lamp-containing circuit and the other of which energizes a circuit
containing said power means, each switch having a switch-operating
shank extending through the headpiece and terminating on the front
side thereof in a button end, and a pivoted manually movable
actuator on the front side of the headpiece engageable with one
button or the other and operative to actuate one switch or the
other.
3. In a gun rack comprising a cabinet having a floor and a top wall
and a rotatable post therebetween, bearing means at the upper and
lower end portions of the post to facilitate rotation thereof, an
upper rotor on the post for supporting gun barrels, a lower rotor
on the post for supporting gun butts, and a plurality of gun
butt-supporting means on said lower rotor, the improvement
comprising
a stationary bearing support means for supporting said lower
bearing means and in turn resting on and attached to said floor,
said lower bearing means comprising a bearing having inner and
outer races, said outer race being engaged by, and supporting, said
lower end portion of the post and being rotatable therewith, said
stationary bearing support means having a portion which engages
said inner race to hold the latter stationary,
and said upper rotor having a plurality of recesses in the
peripheral edge thereof each of which receives and supports a gun
barrel adjacent the muzzle thereof.
4. Gun rack of claim 3 wherein the upper rotor has a
barrel-supporting recessed removable insert in the periphery
thereof between each pair of adjacent peripheral recesses, and
wherein the lower rotor has between each pair of said gun
butt-supporting means an added removable gun butt-supporting piece
having butt-retaining walls, said inserts and added pieces serving
to increase the gun holding capacity of the gun rack.
5. Gun rack of claim 3 wherein each said gun butt-supporting means
in the lower rotor is a recess, and wherein a butt-supporting piece
is present in the floor of each said recess in the lower rotor,
each said piece being surrounded by lateral walls of said recess,
and each said piece and said lateral surrounding walls serving to
stabilize the position of a gun on said rack.
6. Gun rack of claim 4 wherein each said peripheral recess in the
upper rotor and in said inserts is lined with a cushion to provide
a soft engagement for a gun barrel.
7. Gun rack of claim 3 wherein the post has a portion of increased
diameter adjacent the lower rotor to facilitate securing the lower
rotor to the post.
8. Gun rack of claim 7 wherein said post has a lower end portion
which extends through, and is engaged by, said lower rotor.
9. Gun rack of claim 3 wherein said cabinet has a transparent door
through which guns on the rack may be examined, a headpiece over
the door, a pair of spaced switches on the back side of the
headpiece one of which energizes a lamp-containing circuit and the
other of which energizes a circuit containing power means for
rotating the post, each switch having a switch-operating shank
extending through the headpiece and terminating on the front side
thereof in a button end, a pivoted manually movable actuator on the
front side of the headpiece engageable with one button or the other
and operative to turn on one switch or the other.
10. Gun rack of claim 9 wherein the shank of the switch which
energizes the power means-containing circuit moves against the
action of spring means, whereby said actuator must be held in
button end-engaging position in order to rotate said post, thereby
protecting the rack against unintentional operation of said power
means.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. The field of the invention comprises gun racks for storing and
displaying guns.
2. Although gun racks of several types have been constructed
heretofore, it does not appear that very much refinement of them
has taken place. So far as is known, they have been of fixed
capacity, with no means for increasing the same. In their supported
positions the guns are movable, and if one is accidentally or
carelessly disturbed, the uniformity of the group is affected.
Usually, too, the guns have been exposed to atmosphere and become
dusty, and their condition as well as their appearance suffers. And
although rotatable racks are known, the rotation is accomplished by
hand, using off-center bearings, and is generally noisy.
According to the invention, a gun rack is provided which avoids the
foregoing and other difficulties.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present gun rack is a cabinet-enclosed unit having a rotatable
post provided with upper and lower gun-supporting rotors or plates.
In particular, the post is supported on roller bearings at each end
for easy noiseless rotation; also, its upper end is fixed
relatively to the top wall of the cabinet and its base is supported
by the cabinet floor. Anchorage of the post is thus secure at both
ends. An electric motor, invisibly positioned in the cabinet,
rotates the post through a simple drive train, and the motor may be
started and stopped by an externally disposed, conveniently located
switch that prevents unintentional operation. Each gun is supported
by the two rotors, the upper one being recessed for secure
reception of a gun barrel, and the lower one also being recessed to
receive the gun butt or stock and having a shaped piece for
engaging the concaved shoulder-engaging end of the gun butt. The
gun is thus held in a stabilized position from which it is not
easily disturbed and yet which lends itself to easy access. The
rack has provisions for increasing the number of guns which may be
stored or displayed, comprising removable inserts in the upper
rotor and removable butt-supporting pieces mountable on the lower
rotor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention may be better understood by considering the
accompanying drawings, which are diagrammatic, and in which
FIG. 1 is a front view of the cabinet-enclosed rotatable gun rack
with most of the door and the front cover strips removed and
showing the rotatable post and the upper and lower rotors or gun
supports;
FIG. 2 is a partial vertical sectional view through the upper
portion of the post showing how it is rotatably supported at its
upper end; the view is taken along line 2--2 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a partial vertical sectional view through the lower
portion of the post showing how it is rotatably supported at its
lower end; the view is taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4--4 of FIG. 1 showing the
upper rotor or rifle barrel support;
FIG. 5 is a view of FIG. 4 looking in the direction of the arrow
showing how an individual gun barrel-supporting insert looks from
the side;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial sectional view along line 6--6 of
FIG. 1 showing how the lower rotor supports the gun butts;
FIG. 7 is a partial sectional view along line 7--7 of FIG. 6;
FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view taken along the line 8--8
of FIG. 6 illustrating the optional structure shown in broken lines
in FIG. 6;
FIG. 9 is a partial sectional view along line 9--9 of FIG. 1;
and
FIGS. 10 and 11 are rear and side outline views, respectively, of
the cabinet on a reduced scale.
DESCRIPTION OF THE SPECIFIC EMBODIMENTS
FIG. 1 shows the gun cabinet 10 as it encloses the rotatable post
11 having on it the upper and lower rotors or gun supports 12, 13,
both of which are fixed to the post and rotatable therewith. The
post extends between the top wall 14 (FIG. 2) and the floor 15
(FIG. 3) of the cabinet, being fixed but rotatable relatively to
the former and rotatably supported on the latter.
The post has a reduced upper end portion 16 (FIG. 2) around which
is an annular shoulder or land 17. Portion 16 is tightly engaged by
the inner race 18 of tapered roller bearing 19, which makes contact
with land 17. The outer race 20 of the bearing is tightly engaged
in the recess 21 in the circular plate or cap piece 22, the latter
comprising a means for holding the end portion 16 relatively to the
top wall 14 and being secured to such wall by means not shown.
Other bearing means besides the tapered roller bearing 19 are
suitable. Wall 14 has a recess 23 to permit insertion of the
bearing, and a circular plate 24 is used to cover the recess, being
fixed to wall 14 by means not shown.
The lower end portion of the post is also reduced, note 25 of FIG.
3, and this portion extends through a recess 26 in the lower rotor
13. The latter comprises an upper plate or disc 27 fastened by
means not shown to a lower disc 28 of slightly smaller diameter,
note FIG. 7. Bearing means 29 are provided for the reduced portion
25, comprising a tapered roller bearing having an inner race 30 and
an outer race 31, the latter tightly engaged in a recess 32 in the
reduced end portion 25. Resting on the upper end surface of outer
race 31 is an upwardly dished, centrally apertured washer 33 which
fits in the upper part of recess 32 and which supports the post on
the bearing. The bearing rests on a stationary bearing support
means 34 fixedly attached to the stationary floor 15 as by screws
or bolts and comprising an upper plate 35, preferably of smooth
metal, and a lower plate 36, preferably of rubber or other
noise-reducing material. Plate 35 has a fixed, centrally
positioned, apertured boss or extension 35a extending upwardly
therefrom, this portion or boss being tightly engaged by the inner
race 30 of the bearing. Thus, it will be seen that the outer race
31 rotates with the post and washer, while the inner race is held
stationary by boss 35a. In place of the washer 33, one may use a
flat washer, in which case the concaved portion of recess 32 would
be replaced by a flat recess.
It will be appreciated that bearing means 19 and 29 facilitate
rotation of the post and help provide quiet operation.
Drive means in the form of a long lag screw 37, or other suitable
element, is provided to rotate the post, the screw being threaded
into a hole 38 in the post that is prefereably at least an eighth
of an inch smaller in diameter than the screw. The thread direction
of the screw is preferably in the direction of favoring a
continuous tightening effect of the screw in the post. At 39 power
means are shown in the form of an electric motor for operating the
drive means, and the connection between them may suitably be made
through a flexible coupling 40 in the recess 41 in block 42, the
latter being fixedly attached to the underside of floor 15 by means
not shown. Bolts 43, 44 can be used to secure the motor to the
block. The lag screw passes through a recess 45 in floor 15 and
support means 34 which is preferably larger in diameter than recess
38 to avoid noise. Electric leads for the motor are at 46, 47.
It will be noted that the post 11 has an increasing diameter at the
section 48 over the diameter at 49 and that the diameter reaches a
maximum at section 50. The purpose of so thickening the post is to
provide sufficient material to receive a screw, nail, bolt, or
other fastening means, which may be inserted through rotor 13, from
the bottom upwards, into the post along an angular line; and the
thickened post also adds stability to the lower rotor. A plurality
of such fasteners will, of course, be used circumferentially of the
post. A cooling fan for the motor is shown at 51. As seen in broken
lines, the motor may, if desired, be supported laterally by a
plurality of rubber mounting blocks, two of which are seen at 52,
52a, suitably supported by side pieces such as at 53, 53a. These
sides pieces may be secured at one or both ends to the cabinet in
any desired way, for example, to the block 42.
In FIGS. 4 and 5, the upper rotor 12 is shown in more detail,
revealing a plurality of peripheral recesses 55 each adapted to
receive and support a gun barrel adjacent the muzzle thereof. Each
recess is lined wtih a cushion 56 to provide a soft engagement or
contact of the metal gun barrel therein. The cushion, which may be
any suitable piece or strip of fabric, braid, rope, soft rubber,
soft plastic, and the like, is wedged in a slot 57 formed centrally
in the recess and which may extend from end to end thereof or
occupy only the central portion.
To support the butt of each gun, the lower rotor 13 has a plurality
of butt-supporting means in the form of circumferentially arranged
recesses opening through the upper surface 58, two of which are
shown at 59, 60 in FIGS. 6 and 7. In the rotor shown, a total of 8
recesses are present, although this number is variable from about 5
to 18, depending on the size of the rotor. The recesses generally
conform in their outline shape to that of the average gun butt. In
the floor 61 of each recess a convexly curved butt-supporting piece
62 is present, which may be dowelled, glued, or, preferably,
fixedly secured in the recess. If merely dowelled, the piece is
removable. The piece can also be tightly wedged into the recess and
thus be removable. The outwardly convex shape of the piece, note 63
in FIG. 7, is generally complementary to the concave shape of the
shoulder-engaging end of the average gun butt, and the piece thus
serves to stabilize the gun in position on the rack.
The capacity of the gun rack may be increased by providing on the
upper rotor 12, note FIGS. 4 and 5, one or more inserts 65, each
recessed as at 66 and having a cushion 67 secured in slot 68. The
inserts are preferably removable and are provided with a dowel pin
69 which fits into a recess 70 in the periphery of the rotor. As
may be observed, an insert may be placed between each pair of
adjacent recesses in the periphery of the rotor. Up to 8 inserts
may be so placed, and the number may vary as the number of
peripheral recesses, depending on the rotor size. The inserts are
preferably flush with the rotor periphery, as shown.
When inserts are used in the upper rotor, means are provided in the
lower rotor to support the gun butt of the gun barrel supported in
the insert. Suitably, such means comprise a removable piece,
optionally shown at 71 in FIG. 6, and in cross-section in FIG. 8,
having a convexly-shaped outer surface 72 which engages the
concaved shoulder-engaging end of the gun butt. The added piece 71
rests on the upper surface 58 of the rotor, and preferably is
dowelled therein as at 73, 74 to fix the piece against movement.
One, two, three, four or more dowels may be used. At each side of
the piece is a retainer wall 75, 76 for preventing a gun butt from
twisting or turning as it rests on the convexity 72. As many pieces
71 may be used as the number of inserts 65, and like the latter,
the number is variable depending on the rotor size.
As shown in FIG. 1, the cabinet has a glass-panelled hinged door 80
through which guns on the rack may be displayed and examined. Over
the door is a headpiece 81 (FIG. 9), and on the back side of the
latter a pair of spaced switches 82, 83 are mounted. Switch 82
closes a circuit which energizes motor 39, the leads 84, 85 being
connectable to leads 46, 47 (FIG. 3). The switch is operated by a
shaft or stud 86, which is movable back and forth, and which
extends through the headpiece, terminating in a button end 87 which
is engageable by an actuator 88. The latter is pivotally attached
to headpiece 81, having a tongue 82a which extends into recess 79
in the headpiece and is held by pivot 89. By pressing the left hand
end 85a of the actuator, the shaft 86 is depressed against the
action of a tension spring 90 which is coiled about shaft 86. As
long as end 85a is held depressed against the button 87, the motor
circuit will be energized and the post and rotors will be rotated
by the motor. When end 85a is released, the motor is cut out of the
circuit, and rotation stops.
Switch 83 is of the snap-action type and has leads 91, 92 extending
from it which are connectable to leads 93, 94 of a lamp 95, which
as may be seen, is disposed inwardly of the headpiece 81 at the top
and front of the cabinet. The lamp may be of any suitable type; as
shown, it is a fluorescent lamp and is accompanied by a
conventional transformer and starter box 96. Switch 83 has a shaft
97 extending through the headpiece and terminating in a button end
98. On depressing the right hand end 99 of the actuator, the button
98 is engaged and the shaft 97 is moved inwardly to operate the
snap mechanism of the switch, thus energizing the lamp circuit,
turning on the lamp, and illuminating the cabinet interior. End 99
can be released, and the light will stay on; to extinguish it, the
end 99 is depressed again to actuate the switch.
The general shape of the cabinet 10 is apparent from FIGS. 1, 10,
and 11. An upper outside ledge or shelf 102 extends from one side
103 around the back 104 and across the other side 105. It is
decorative, and also useful for storing articles; and it enables
the lower portion 106 of the cabinet to be made large enough to
accomodate the lower rotor 13. A lower outside ledge 107 extends
from one side around the front 108 and across the other side; it
too is decorative, useful for holding articles, and it enables the
portion 109 of the cabinet to be made large enough to accomodate
the drawers 110, 111 (FIG. 1). Inside the cabinet at a convenient
level is another shelf 112 which extends across three sides. It can
support various articles like trophies and ammunition. The side and
back walls 113, 114, and 115 of the cabinet may be constructed of
wood panels that are thinner than the rest of the construction, but
any suitable thicknesses and materials may be used.
Any type of gun may be supported on the gun rack, including single
and double barrelled shotguns, carbines, over and under shotguns,
combination guns, and a varied assortment of high-powered hunting
rifles. The recesses in the upper rotor and in the inserts are wide
and deep enough to hold double barrels, whether the barrels are
side by side or one behind the other. And the upper rotor is
sufficiently spaced from the top wall of the cabinet, and the post
therebetween unencumbered by extensions of any kind, that the
cabinet can receive guns of unequal lengths.
It will be understood that the invention is capable of obvious
variations without departing from its scope.
* * * * *