TETHER APPARATUS FOR A WEAPON

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates generally to a tether apparatus for a weapon and more specifically to a tether apparatus that attaches the weapon to an elevated platform such as a hunting stand and that will prevent a falling weapon from contacting the ground or the platform and reduce the forces acting on the weapon when the weapon is dropped from the platform.

DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

Hunters commonly employ elevated platforms that offer an expanded view of a surrounding area and concealment from their prey. Such platforms can be a tree stand, deer blind, or other elevated structures. While offering a significant hunting advantage, elevated platforms cause some concern regarding weapon safety. If a hunter were to drop a weapon, such as a rifle, from a tree stand, for example, it could discharge upon striking the ground or other object and potentially cause injury to the hunter.

Accordingly, an apparatus is needed that will prevent the weapon from striking the ground if the weapon is dropped by the hunter. The apparatus should further reduce the forces acting on the weapon to prevent the weapon from accidentally discharging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an apparatus for securing a weapon to an elevated hunting platform comprising a harness that is attachable to the weapon and a tether having one portion that is operably coupled to the harness. The tether comprises a damper whereby the damper reduces the forces acting on the weapon when the weapon is dropped from the platform.

According to one aspect of the invention, the harness is configured to attach to a weapon comprising a firearm with a muzzle and a stock such that that muzzle will point downward as the weapon hangs from the tether. According to a further aspect of the invention, the harness mounts to the stock of the firearm.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, the harness comprises a strap that encircles a portion of the weapon. Further, the strap comprises a buckle. The harness can further comprise an eyelet to which the tether can be releasably attached.

In another aspect of the invention, the tether is adjustable in length. According to a further aspect of the invention, the tether comprises a belt with an adjustment slide that allows the length of the tether to be adjusted.

In still another aspect of the invention, at least a portion of the tether comprises a line. According to other aspects of the invention, at least a portion or all of the line is elastic to form the damper.

In yet another aspect of the invention, the tether comprises a line with an elastic portion to form the damper and another portion comprising a belt with an adjustment slide. Further, the tether is adjustable in length. The damper further can have two opposing ends and the belt can be mounted to the damper between the opposing ends. The opposing ends of the damper are connectable to the platform. The opposing ends can further comprise carabiners or other connective devices.

According to another aspect of the invention, the tether comprises at least one releasable coupler for securing the tether to the elevated platform. The tether can further comprise at least one additional coupler for securing the tether to the harness. The additional coupler can comprise a swivel joint between the tether and the harness.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective illustration of an apparatus according to the present invention comprising a tether and a harness wherein the tether is shown attached to an elevated platform and the harness is shown attached to a firearm.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the tether from FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a front view of the harness from FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the harness from FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a perspective illustration similar to FIG. 1 wherein the harness is shown attached to a bow.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, an apparatus 10 for securing a weapon 20 to an elevated platform 30 comprises a tether 40 and a harness 60. The apparatus 10 is particularly useful to a hunter that is hunting from the elevated platform 30. While illustrated as a tree stand, the elevated platform can include any other elevated structure where the hunter is located above the ground. The weapon 20 can be a firearm, for example a rifle, gun, or the like, or the weapon 20 can be a non-firearm, such as the compound bow as shown in FIG. 5. The apparatus 10 performs several functions: secures the weapon 20 to the platform 30 such that the weapon 20 will not contact the ground if dropped by the hunter; reduces the forces acting on the weapon when dropped; and, in the case of a firearm, orients the firearm such that a barrel 22 of the firearm is pointed away from the hunter after dropping. The apparatus 10 can also be used as a hoisting device that allows the hunter to first climb to the platform 30 and then pull the weapon 20 up afterward. In addition, the apparatus 10 can be used to secure or hoist other items such as a backpack, additional hunting gear, and the like.

Referring to FIG. 2, the tether 40 comprises a line 41 and releasable couplers 48, 50 attached at opposing ends of the line 41. The line 41 comprises a belt 42 and a damper 44. The belt 42 is preferably a neoprene web belt and has an adjustment slide 46 that allows the length of the belt 42 to be adjusted to a desired length by the hunter. The belt 42 is preferably connected to the damper 44 such that an end of the belt 42 comprises a loop 51 that encircles the damper 44. The loop 51 can alternately comprise a swivel joint between the belt 42 and the damper 44.

The damper 44 is illustrated as an elastic cord having ends that are secured to the fasteners 48. However, the damper 44 can be any suitable device or material that absorbs or at least reduces the forces acting upon the weapon 20 when it is dropped from the elevated platform 30. For example, the damper 44 can be a spring. The damper 44 can also have a protective covering such as neoprene.

Although the line 41 is illustrated with the belt 42 and damper 44 as separate attached parts, the damper 44 can be formed integrally with the belt 42 such that the line 41 is continuously formed. Further, the line 41 can be entirely comprised of the damper 44. For example, the line 41 can be made of an elastic cord, spring or the like.

The first releasable couplers 48 are attachable to the elevated platform 30 and a second releasable coupler 50 is attachable to the harness 60. The first couplers 48 are affixed to opposing ends of the damper 44 and can be common couplers such as carabiners. The second coupler 50 is affixed to the belt 42 and comprises a swivel joint 52 that permits the weapon to rotate relative to the line 41. The second coupler 50 is preferably a quick-release clip, but can be any type of suitable coupler such as a carabiner, or the like.

Referring to FIGS. 3 and 4, a harness 60 is provided to simplify the coupling of the line 41 to the weapon 20, even though it is possible to directly secure the line 41 to the weapon 20. The harness 60 comprises a strap 62 having a buckle 63 for closure of the strap 62. The buckle 63 comprises a receiving end 64 and an insertion end 65 formed with an adjustment slide 68. A first band 69 attaches the receiving end 64 to the strap 62. A second band 70 is inserted through the adjustment slide 68 to attach the insertion end 65 to the strap 62. The strap 62 and bands 69, 70 are preferably made of a neoprene web belt with bands 69 and 70 sewn onto the strap 62. The strap 62 is of a length such that the strap 62 can be wrapped around the weapon 20 and the strap 62 can be adjusted in length by pulling the band 70 relative to the adjustment slide 68. Although not shown, the receiving end 64 could also be formed with an adjustment slide to adjust the length of the strap 62.

The strap 62 further comprises a tag 66 attached to the strap 62. The tag 66 has an eyelet 74 for attaching the second coupler 50 on the tether 40. The tag 66 can also be a neoprene web belt and the eyelet 74 can be sewn onto the tag.

To attach the harness 60 to the weapon 20, the strap 62 is wrapped around a portion of the weapon 20 and the insertion end 65 of the buckle 63 in inserted into the receiving end 64. The length of the strap 62 is adjusted before or after attaching the strap 62 to the weapon 20 by pulling band 70 relative to the adjustment slide 68 such that the strap 62 fits securely around the weapon 20. To attach the tether 40 to the harness 60, the second coupler 50 is clipped to the eyelet 74. For a weapon 20 comprising a firearm having a barrel 22 and a stock 24, the harness 60 is preferably attached around the stock 24 such that the barrel 22 will point downward as the firearm hangs from the tether 40 (FIG. 1). For a weapon 20 comprising a bow, the harness 60 is preferably attached around a grip or a limb 26 of the bow (FIG. 5).

When the apparatus 10 is connected to an elevated platform 30, the apparatus functions to prevent the weapon 20 from striking the ground if the weapon 20 is dropped by the hunter. The belt 42 is adjusted to an appropriate length by the hunter with respect to the height of the elevated platform 30 so that the combined apparatus 10 and weapon 20 is of a length shorter than the distance between the ground and the elevated platform 30. If the hunter drops the weapon 20 when he or she is on the elevated platform 30, the motion of the weapon 20 will be arrested by the apparatus 10 before the weapon 20 contacts the ground.

The harness 60 provides an additional measure of safety when hunting with a firearm by attaching to the firearm such that the barrel 22 of the firearm will point downward as the firearm hangs from the tether 40 and thus away from the hunter on the elevated platform 30. If the hunter drops the firearm from the elevated platform 30 and the firearm discharges, the hunter will not be injured.

The damper 44 provides a further measure of safety by reducing the possibility of the weapon 20 discharging upon being dropped from the elevated platform 30. The damper 44 at least partially absorbs and/or reduces the forces acting on the weapon 20 that are created when the weapon 20 is arrested by the apparatus 10. If the hunter drops the weapon 20 from the elevated platform, the force reduction produced by the damper 44 can prevent the weapon 20 from discharging.

Alternately, the apparatus 10 does not need to provide for both barrel positioning and force reduction. Either provision alone combined with the tether 40 that prevents the weapon 20 from striking the ground will suffice to comprise an apparatus 10 that adequately protects the hunter from injury.

While the invention has been specifically described in connection with certain specific embodiments thereof, it is to be understood that this is by way of illustration and not of limitation, and the scope of the appended claims should be construed as broadly as the prior art will permit.