Portable rifle or shotgun aiming seat apparatus and kit

Abstract

A rifle or shotgun aiming seat apparatus is portable, erectable on the ground and/or as part of a ladder or tree stand. The apparatus incorporates therewith a seat and a rifle-positioning cradle that enables the user to remain in position and simultaneously rotate and selectively and rapidly adjust the height, distance and angular orientation of the rifle barrel, depending on the shooting environment presented. Additionally, the seat and rifle support assembly are adapted to be adjusted and leveled as to sloping ground and enables a hunting blind be erected to hide the hunter while in position.

1 . A rifle aiming seat apparatus comprising:
 a support frame including a plurality of spaced apart support legs defining a base;   a seat assembly including a seat and a ball joint assembly, the seat having a bottom surface, the ball joint assembly disposed below the bottom surface and including a ball, an upper ball seat, and a lower ball clamp, the ball having a spindle extending therefrom, the spindle being rotatably secured to the support frame, the upper ball seat mounted to the bottom surface of the seat and having an upper receiving surface dimensioned and contoured to receive an upper portion of the ball, the lower ball clamp having a lower receiving surface dimensioned and contoured to envelop a lower portion of the ball, the lower ball clamp further including a bottom surface having a hole extending therethrough, thereby allowing a portion of the ball and the spindle to extend through the hole, the upper ball seat and the lower ball clamp being hingedly connected at a first position, and connected at a second position by a fastener, wherein tightening the fastener draws the upper ball seat and the lower ball clamp together to frictionally engage and clamp the ball therebetween;   an elongated rifle support assembly having a first end and a second end, the first end of the rifle support assembly connected to the seat assembly and extending outwardly therefrom, the second end of the rifle support assembly having a rifle cradle attached thereto; and   a level disposed on the rifle support assembly for assuring the seat and the rifle support assembly are level with a horizontal plane.   
   
   
       2 . The rifle aiming seat apparatus of  claim 1  comprising a hunting blind connected to the support frame for hiding the user from view when seated upon the seat and positioning the rifle barrel in the rifle cradle. 
   
   
       3 . The rifle aiming seat apparatus as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein said hunting blind comprises:
 a curved support ring having opposite ends,   means for supporting the support ring in vertically spaced relation to the base,   a rectangular shaped closure blind having upper and lower edges and laterally spaced opposite ends, and   means for connecting the upper edge portion of the closure blind to the support ring in a manner that the closure blind hangs vertically downwardly therefrom, the closure blind being dimensioned such that when hung from the support ring the lower edge portion thereof is proximate to the ground, the laterally spaced opposite ends are positionable with the opposite ends of the guide rail, and the hunter is substantially enclosed within and hidden by and behind the closure blind.   
   
   
       4 . The rifle aiming seat apparatus as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein said means for supporting the support ring comprises a plurality of struts extending upwardly and outwardly from the support frame. 
   
   
       5 . The rifle aiming seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support frame includes a socket, and the spindle extends from the ball joint assembly for receipt into the socket. 
   
   
       6 . The rifle aiming seat apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the seat includes a seat back hingedly connected to the seat and for movement between a folded down storage position and an upright in use position. 
   
   
       7 . A rifle aiming support assembly, said aiming support assembly comprising:
 a horizontal main support frame, said frame including forward and rearward support bars and a semi-circular shaped guide bar, each bar including medial and opposite end portions and disposed symmetrically about a center line,   a seat brace rotatably mounted to said frame by use of a ball joint, said seat brace including a proximal end portion mounted to said rearward support bar, a seat structure, a medial portion, and a distal end portion, said seat structure including a seat fixedly mounted to said proximal end portion and a seat back hingedly mounted to said seat for movement between stored and in use positions, and the medial portion of said seat brace supported for gliding movement atop and between the opposite ends of said guide bar,   an L-shaped rifle positioning bracket having first and second legs, said first leg being removably connected to the distal end portion of said seat brace and releasably locked thereto in selected positions therealong, and said second leg having a connectible upper end portion,   a rifle cradle assembly including a cradle sleeve and a cradle, the cradle sleeve being removably connected to the upper end portion of said second leg and releasably locked thereto in selected positions therealong, and said cradle being generally U-shaped, upwardly open, pivotally connected to the cradle sleeve, and releasably locked in selected angles relative to an imaginary line drawn through the geometric center of the cradle assembly.   
   
   
       8 . The rifle aiming support assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising means for releasably locking and preventing the seat brace from moving away from a fixed position relative to the support frame. 
   
   
       9 . The rifle aiming support assembly of  claim 7 , further comprising an erectable frame, said erectable frame including a plurality of struts that connect to the support frame in a manner to angle outwardly, upwardly and away from the support frame, a semi-circular shaped support bar having opposite ends, means for connecting the support bar to the struts in a manner that the support bar is generally parallel to and vertically above the guide bar and the opposite ends of the support bar and guide bar are disposed in a common vertical plane generally proximate to the seat structure, and a closure cover, the cover being mountable to the support ring and dimensioned to extend between the opposite ends thereof and form a closure about the seat structure. 
   
   
       10 . The rifle aiming support assembly of  claim 7 , wherein said forward and rearward support bars define a plurality of spaced apart support legs, wherein each support leg includes means for leveling the support frame relative to the ground and in a manner that the guide bar is disposed generally horizontally. 
   
   
       11 . The rifle aiming support assembly of  claim 10 , wherein said means for leveling includes, for each support leg, a support foot and means for connecting the support foot to the leg in a manner that the foot may extend towards or away from the connection to the leg, whereby the plurality of legs enable the support frame to be adjusted in a manner that the plane of the guide bar is horizontally disposed. 
   
   
       12 . The rifle aiming seat apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein each said foot comprises an enlarged swivelable ground engaging pad. 
   
   
       13 . A kit of components for providing a transportable rifle aiming seat assembly, the kit comprising
 a horizontal support frame having a socket for receiving a pivot pin and a guide rail,   an elongated seat brace for removable mounting atop the support frame, the brace having proximal and distal end portions with the proximal end portion provided with a seat structure atop a ball joint assembly having a pivot pin projecting therebelow for receipt in said socket to removably mount the seat brace to the support frame for rotation relative thereto, said distal end provided with an array of registrable apertures, and said seat structure including a seat and a seat back hingedly connected to said seat wherein to fold downwardly into a stored or transportation position when not in use and project upwardly when in an in use position,   an L-shaped rifle positioning bracket having first and second legs, each leg provided with registrable apertures and the first leg being telescopically connectible with and removably mountable to the distal end portion of the seat brace for relative axial positioning movement of the sets of apertures,   a rifle cradle assembly including an extender sleeve provided with registrable apertures and an upwardly open rifle cradle for cradling a rifle pivotably connected to the cradle sleeve, the cradle sleeve and second leg being telescopically interconnectible with one another for relative axial positioning movement of the sets of apertures therebetween and removable from one another, and   a plurality of quick release locking pins for receipt in respective of registered pairs of apertures wherein to rapidly lock and/or release the rifle positioning bracket and erect the rifle cradle assembly in a desired positions.   
   
   
       14 . The kit of  claim 13 , further comprising a lock socket and a lock pin, said lock socket being adapted to operate between the seat brace and the frame, and said lock pin for locking entry into the lock socket and locking the seat brace from rotation. 
   
   
       15 . The kit of  claim 13 , further comprising erectable structure to form an enclosure about said support frame, said erectable structure including a plurality of struts that removably connect to the support frame, a support ring that removably connects to the struts in a manner to be disposed vertically above and in encircling relation about the support frame, and a closure curtain that removably connects to and hangs vertically downwardly from the support ring. 
   
   
       16 . The kit of  claim 13 , wherein said support frame includes a plurality of support legs, further comprising frame leveling structure, said frame leveling structure comprising for each support leg, a ground engaging foot structure that is removable and axially positionable relative to the leg.