[0001] A recoil pad for sporting rifle or firearm, of the type that comprises a body, manufactured
using an elastic material, with the means for connecting to the stock of a sporting
rifle or firearm,
characterised in that it comprises at least two transversal cavities, separated by an elastic partition
wall that connects the left side of the recoil pad to the right side of the recoil
pad and at least two removable gel pads, one per cavity, which fit inside said cavities.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The use of gel as shock-absorbing means in recoil pads is known in the technical
field.
[0003] There are very old patents that describe a pad with an elastic insert. Thus, in patent
US 1,418,532 "Recoil pad" of 1922 already claims a stock with a cushion comprising a plate shaped
to the stock base, a base element made of a soft resin and a "vulcanised vegetable
oil" insert. The base element is secured to the stock base with screws. In this way,
the stock recoil is damped upon firing.
[0004] A design along the same line of a pad with an insert is described in another patent,
US 4,683,671 "Recoil shock pad" from 1987. Figure 7 shows one of the embodiments that uses as
a gel insert. The cushion comprises a moulded plate fixed to the stock base, a sleeve
made of plastic material that surrounds a bag containing the gel. Therefore, taking
into account this patent, we can conclude that at least since 1987, in other words,
for over twenty years, the use of gel has been known in this type of pad.
[0005] Thus, the firm Beretta, give by already known, the use of gel in its European patent
EP 1122507 "Butt pad made of a composite material for firearms" from 2001. The object of said
patent is the cushion that includes an exterior cover with an elastically variable
shape, a high-viscosity element inside said cover and congruent with the shape variations
of the latter and a base element and semi-rigid support joined to the cover and designed
to adjust the pad to the firearm stock. As an independent claim in one of its embodiments,
it is proposed to use silicone gel. In view of the embodiments, this patent is indicated
for pistols.
[0006] Patent
US 6,889,461 (
US publication No 2004/0144011) "Recoil pad, particularly for firearms" of 2005, for which the applicant is Benelli
Armi S.p.A, describes a recoil pad for firearms that can be fixed to the stock and
which includes a base and rear component manufactured from polyurethane gel coupled
to the base and suitable for dissipate the energy transferred to the shoulder by the
firearm recoil upon firing.
[0007] Another document is PCT application No
WO 2007033342 "Gel recoil pad", of 2007 for which the applicant is Polyworks Inc. (USA), which
describes a pad for firearms. The pad structure includes a slightly hard gel as first
material, a moulded plastic base with the same measurements as the stock base, a layer
of coupling material adhered to the base and a final layer that covers the gel layer.
[0008] Finally, patent
US 6,305,115 "Gel recoil pad" of 2001 can also be included, which protects a gel pad wrapped in
a support that joins it to the stock.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] As can be seen from the documents of background of the invention, all of them require,
to a greater or lesser extent, handling that involves separating the recoil pad from
the stock to access the gel pad if this needs replacing.
[0010] Such separation is not simple because, for safety reasons, the recoil pad has to
be securely fixed to the stock so that it cannot become separated from it.
[0011] Moreover, in the case that someone wants to change the pad, it can't do immediately;
it needs time and some tools, which ones are not always available.
[0012] In this invention, the inventors have developed a new recoil pad, designed to provide
user-adjustable elasticity, which can be adjusted whenever required by simply inserting
suitable gel pads for each shooter. Moreover, said pads can be changed at any time
and tools, such as screwdrivers, are not necessary. Instead, said pads, can be inserted
with the fingers, into transversal cavities in the recoil pad, with said pads fitting
snugly without being able to come out of the transversal cavities without pressure
from the shooters fingers.
[0013] It is important that the recoil pad does not have to be separated from the stock,
because this means enhanced sporting rifle safety since the parameters are already
set by the factory.
[0014] Said gel pads can also be used as means for identification (colours) by the owner
in order to recognise his sporting rifle or firearm, or even publicity by including
an ad in the pad, which also serves as an economic stimulus.
[0015] If, for example, the shooter notes that after a certain time, the gel pads no longer
has the desired effect or the sporting rifle or firearm is used by a shooter other
than the usual one and the configured elasticity is not comfortable. The gel pads
can be quite easily changed by pressing them on one side of the recoil pad so that
they come out of the other, making their replacement very easy.
[0016] The goal of this invention is a recoil pad for a sporting rifle or firearm of the
type that comprises a body, manufactured using an elastic material, with the means
for connecting to the stock of a sporting rifle or firearm,
characterised in that it comprises at least two transversal cavities, separated by an elastic partition
wall that connects the left side of the recoil pad to the right side of the recoil
pad and at least two removable gel pads, one per cavity, which fit inside said cavities.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0017] In order to facilitate the description, there are three sheets of drawings accompanying
this report, which represent a practical exemplary embodiment, which is cited by way
of an example that does not limit the scope of this invention.
- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the object of this invention.
- Figure 2 is a lateral view of the gel pad, in which the extra parts of Figure 1 have
been eliminated to provide a better view.
- Figure 3 is a lower view of the gel pad, in which the extra parts of Figure 1 have
been eliminated to provide a better view, and
- Figure 4 is a left lateral view of Figure 1.
EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT OF THIS INVENTION
[0018] Thus Figure 1 illustrates body 1 of a recoil pad, with its left side 8 and right
side 9, cavities 2, 3, 4, gel pads, 6, 7, 10, partition walls 5, 11, pass through
orifices 12, 13, grooves or striations 15 and distance 16.
[0019] Figure 2 shows the gel pad 6 with channel 19.
[0020] Figure 3 is a lower view of Figure 2, showing the gel pad 6 with referred channel
19 that defines two parts 17, 18, one on either side of the channel.
[0021] Finally, body 1 has been drawn in Figure 4, seen from the left side 8, partition
walls 5, 11, distance 16, the reliefs or striations 15 and a perimeter groove bottom
14.
[0022] Thus, in a specific embodiment, the shooter, in prior session of shoot, selects the
gel pads 6, 7, 10 in accordance with certain elasticity characteristics, which should
coincide with the shooter's personal preferences or likes, so that this person feels
comfortable with the recoil pad performance, which is elastic, against the recoil
of the sporting rifle or firearm after it is fired.
[0023] After selection, these pads 6, 7, 10 are inserted into their respective cavities
2, 3, 4, with these pads being firmly adjusted and unable to leave without pressure
being exerted by the shooter's fingers inside the cited cavities.
[0024] The referred transversal cavities 2, 3, 4 connect the left side 8 of body 1 of the
recoil pad to the right side 9. This is because it facilitates insertion and removal
of gel pads 6, 7, 10 into cavities 2, 3, 4 which, unlike the related documents of
the technical field, do not require any tools to change the gel pads 6, 7, 10.
[0025] If any other shooter decides to use the same sporting rifle or firearm could easily
have other preferences in relation to the recoil of said rifle or firearm. If this
person wishes to replace the gel pads 6, 7, 10, they should be firmly pressed from
one side of the recoil pad 6, 7, 10 so that they come out of the opposite side.
[0026] The possibility of simple replacement gel pad 6, 7, 10 is also useful because, over
time, they may lose their desired elasticity properties and can thus be changed in
a few seconds without having to remove the recoil pad from the stock.
[0027] Moreover, if the gel pads 6, 7, 10 are provided in several colours, they could be
used by the shooter to identify the sporting rifle or firearm, in such a way that
combines the club's or country's colours etc, or even facilitate camouflage.
[0028] Partition walls 5, 11 which separate the various cavities 2,3,4, are elastic in order
to allow them to deform elastically during recoil and then recover their positions
like the gel pads 6, 7, 10.
[0029] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, it has been arranged that the gel pads 6, 7, 10 to comprise
at least one channel 19 that is transversal with respect to cavities 3, 4 that divides
the mentioned gel pads 6, 7, 10 into at least two parts 17, 18, Said channel 19 is
a positioner, on attaining an interior reference (not illustrated) permits a perfect
fit and adjustment of gel pads 6, 7, 10 when they are inserted inside the cavities
2, 3, 4, thus ensuring that said gel pads 6, 7, 10 are unable to exit the respective
cavities 2, 3, 4 without pressure from the shooter's fingers in order to intentionally
remove them from inside the cavities 2, 3, 4.
[0030] The recoil pad also includes reliefs or striations 15, already known, which are placed
against the shooter's shoulder when firing. Taken by the outside perimeter of the
reliefs or striations 15, said reliefs or striations 15 are separated from the referred
cavities 3, 4 by distance 16, equivalent to the thickness of the partition walls 5,
11. This improves the elasticity and performance of the recoil pad, during the recoil
of the sporting rifle or firearm.
[0031] Pass-through orifices 12, 13 (Figure 1) are also illustrated, which secure the recoil
pad to the stock, for example, by means of screws and a perimeter rabbet 14 (Figure
4) that facilitates the fit of the recoil pad to the stock of the sporting rifle or
firearm.
[0032] This exemplary embodiment shows three gel pads, although as few as two can be used
depending on the size of the recoil pad.
[0033] This invention describes a new recoil pad for sporting rifle or firearm. The exemplary
embodiments mentioned here do not limit this invention and, for this reason, can have
various applications and/or adaptations, all of which within the scope of the following
claims.
1. A recoil pad for sporting rifle or firearm, of the type that comprises a body (1),
manufactured using an elastic material, with the means for connecting to the stock
of a sporting rifle or firearm,
characterised in that it comprises:
• at least two transversal cavities (3, 4), separated by an elastic partition wall
(5) that connects the left side (8) of the recoil pad to the right side (9) of the
recoil pad and
• at least two removable gel pads (6, 7), one per cavity (3, 4), which fit inside
said cavities.
2. A recoil pad, in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that gel pads (6, 7) on the side facing the rifle stock comprise at least one channel
(19) that is transversal with respect to the cavities (3, 4) that divides the mentioned
gel pad (6, 7) into at least two parts (17, 18).
3. A recoil pad, in accordance with claim 1, characterised in that it comprises reliefs or striations (15), the perimeter of which is separated from
the referred cavities (3, 4) by distance (16) which is equivalent to the thickness
of partition wall (5), of which there is at least one.