Adjustable height mount for rifle aiming device

Abstract

A telescopic sight is provided that includes an integral mounting bar for connection to a mounting rail of a firearm and integral auxiliary equipment mounting features for mounting auxiliary equipment onto the telescopic sight. The mounting bar includes multiple grooves spaced apart at incremental distances for mounting the telescopic sight at a selected height above the firearm. Clamp assemblies cooperate with the mounting bar and the mounting rail to secure the telescopic sight to the firearm and provide adjustment of the height position of the telescopic sight. The integral auxiliary equipment mounting features are universal and require no post-mounting adjustment to accurately align the auxiliary equipment.

1 . A device for mounting an aiming device to a mounting rail of a firearm, the aiming device having a longitudinal axis, the mounting device comprising: 
 a mounting bar including opposing side surfaces and a plurality of grooves spaced apart along the side surfaces of the mounting bar, the mounting bar adapted to be rigidly connected to the aiming device so that the side surfaces extend in a direction generally transverse of the longitudinal axis and so that the grooves are positioned at incremental distances from the aiming device, the mounting bar adapted to be positioned adjacent the mounting rail of the firearm; and    a clamp assembly including a pair of clamp blocks adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the mounting bar and the mounting rail and drawn together for simultaneously grasping the mounting bar and the mounting rail, the clamp assembly including a cleat sized for engagement in a selected one of the grooves of the mounting bar to thereby secure the aiming device to the firearm at a selected height above the firearm.    
     
     
         2 . The mounting device of    claim 1    in which at least one of the clamp blocks includes a recoil tab, the mounting device further comprising a recoil notch formed in the mounting bar and extending in a direction transverse of the grooves, the recoil tab sized to fit snugly in the recoil notch to prevent the aiming device from shifting longitudinally relative to the firearm during firing of the firearm.  
     
     
         3 . The mounting device of    claim 1    in which the clamp blocks are joined together by a bolt and a nut threaded onto the bolt.  
     
     
         4 . The mounting device of    claim 1    in which the mounting rail is a dovetail rail.  
     
     
         5 . The mounting device of    claim 1    in which the clamp assembly includes two pairs of clamp blocks.  
     
     
         6 . In a firearm aiming device including a housing having a longitudinal axis, the improvement comprising an integrated adjustable-height aiming device mounting mechanism, including: 
 a mounting bar including opposing side surfaces extending from the aiming device in a direction generally transverse of the longitudinal axis and a plurality of grooves formed in the side surfaces and spaced apart at incremental distances from the aiming device, the mounting bar adapted to be positioned adjacent a mounting rail of a firearm; and    a clamp assembly including a pair of clamp blocks adapted to be positioned on opposite sides of the mounting bar and the mounting rail and drawn together for simultaneously grasping the mounting bar and the mounting rail, the clamp assembly including a cleat sized for engagement in a selected one of the grooves of the mounting bar to thereby secure the aiming device to the firearm at a selected height above the firearm.    
     
     
         7 . The aiming device mounting mechanism of    claim 6    in which the mounting bar is integrally formed in the housing.  
     
     
         8 . The aiming device mounting mechanism of    claim 6    in which at least one of the clamp blocks includes a recoil tab, and the mounting device further comprises a recoil notch formed in the mounting bar that extends in a direction transverse of the grooves, the recoil tab sized to fit snugly in the recoil notch to prevent the aiming device from shifting longitudinally relative to the firearm during firing of the firearm.  
     
     
         9 . The aiming device mounting mechanism of    claim 6    in which the clamp blocks are joined together by a bolt and a nut threaded onto the bolt.  
     
     
         10 . The aiming device mounting mechanism of    claim 6    in which the mounting rail is a dovetail rail.  
     
     
         11 . The aiming device mounting mechanism of    claim 6    in which the clamp assembly includes two pairs of clamp blocks.  
     
     
         12 . A firearm aiming device, comprising: 
 a housing having a longitudinal axis and a mounting bar including opposing side surfaces that extend from the longitudinal axis in a direction generally transverse of the longitudinal axis, the mounting bar adapted to be positioned adjacent a mounting rail of a firearm and secured to the mounting rail with a pair of clamp blocks positioned on opposite sides of the mounting bar and the mounting rail and drawn together to simultaneously grasp the mounting bar and the mounting rail; and    a plurality of grooves formed in the side surfaces of the mounting bar and spaced apart at incremental distances from the longitudinal axis of the housing, the grooves sized to engage with a cleat of the clamp blocks to facilitate clamping of the aiming device to the firearm at a selectively adjustable height above the firearm.    
     
     
         13 . The aiming device of    claim 12    in which the mounting bar is integrally formed in the housing.  
     
     
         14 . The aiming device of    claim 12   , further comprising a recoil notch formed in the mounting bar and extending in a direction transverse of the grooves, the recoil notch sized to receive a recoil tab of the clamp blocks to thereby prevent the aiming device from shifting longitudinally relative to the firearm during firing of the firearm.  
     
     
         15 . The aiming device of    claim 12    in which the mounting bar includes a slot that provides clearance for a bolt used to join together the pair of clamp blocks.  
     
     
         16 . The aiming device of    claim 12    in which the mounting bar is adapted to be mounted to a dovetail rail.