Gun rack for police car

Claim 2

A holder for securely mounting a weapon in a vehicle in such a position that the barrel of the weapon extends along an axis other than a vertical axis, said holder comprising a frame including a generally horizontal base and a top member positioned above said base, a muzzle member secured to the forward end of said top member, a gun lock secured to the top member rearwardly of said muzzle member, and a muzzle plug secured to said muzzle member and extending toward said lock, said gun lock being selectively operable between an open and a closed position, with said gun lock in its open position said weapon being insertable into said rack with a portion of said weapon received in said gun lock and with the muzzle of said weapon receiving said muzzle plug so that with said gun lock in its locked position, said gun lock substantially prevents axial, sidewise and vertical movement of the weapon relative to said gun lock and so that said muzzle plug prevents substantial sidewise and vertical movement of the muzzle of the weapon relative to said frame.

Claim 3

The holder of claim 1 wherein said muzzle plug is insertable in the barrel of said shotgun so that said shotgun must be moved axially rearwardly before the shotgun can be moved laterally from said gun rack.

Claim 4

The holder of claim 2 wherein said frame includes a base member engageable with a horizontal support, and means for attaching said base member to said horizontal support.

Claim 5

A gun rack for installation in the front passenger compartment of a police car or the like so as to securely mount a shotgun or other weapon within the police car thereby to permit the shotgun to be safely and conveniently carried in a stowed, generally horizontal position within the police car and to permit the police officer to readily remove the shotgun from the rack when required, said shotgun having a rear stock, a mid-portion, and a barrel extending from the mid-portion, said police car having a front seat, a front horizontal floor generally in front of said seat, said rack including a frame adapted to be securely fastened to said front horizontal floor in front of said seat, said frame including a muzzle plate at the forward end of said frame and a gun lock spaced rearwardly from said muzzle plate, said muzzle plate further having a muzzle plug thereon facing generally toward said gun lock, said gun lock being selectively operable between an open and locked position, said shotgun being received in said rack when said lock is in its open position with the mid-portion of said shotgun being received in said lock and with the muzzle of the barrel of said shotgun receiving said muzzle plug, whereby with said lock in its locked position, said gun lock substantially prevents vertical, horizontal, and sidewise movement of the mid-portion of the shotgun relative to the lock and said muzzle plug received within the muzzle of said shotgun substantially prevents sidewise and vertical movement of the muzzle of the shotgun relative to the rack.

Claim 6

A gun rack for installation in the front passenger compartment of a police car or the like so as to securely mount a shotgun or other weapon within the police car thereby to permit the shotgun to be safely and conveniently carried in a stowed, generally horizontal position within the police car and to permit the police officer to readily remove the shotgun from the rack when required, said shotgun having a rear stock, a mid-portion, and a barrel extending from the mid-portion, said police car having a front seat, a front horizontal floor generally in front of said seat, said rack including a frame adapted to be securely fastened to said front horizontal floor in front of said seat, said frame including a muzzle plate at the forward end of said frame and a gun lock spaced rearwardly from said muzzle plate, said muzzle plate further having a muzzle plug thereon facing generally toward said gun lock, said gun lock being selectively operable between an open and locked position, said shotgun being received in said rack when said lock is in its open position with the mid-portion of said shotgun being received in said lock and with the muzzle of the barrel of said shotgun receiving said muzzle plug, whereby with said lock in its locked position, said gun lock substantially prevents vertical, horizontal, and sidewise movement of the mid-portion of the shotgun relative to the lock and said muzzle plug received within the muzzle of said shotgun substantially prevents sidewise and vertical movement of the muzzle of the shotgun relative to the rack.

Claim 7

The gun rack of claim 4 wherein said frame includes a base member engageable with the horizontal front floor of said police car and fastener members engageable with said base member and said police car floor for to securely mounting said rack within said car.

Claim 8

The gun rack of claim 4 wherein said shotgun, when in its stowed position, extends rearwardly of said lock and of said frame, slightly above the level of the front edge of said front seat and wherein the barrel of said shotgun extends generally forwardly and downwardly within the police car.

Claim 9

A rack for installation in the front passenger compartment of a vehicle so as to mount a weapon securely in a generally horizontal position within the vehicle thereby to permit the shotgun to be safely and securely carried within the vehicle and yet to permit ready access to the shotgun when required by authorized personnel, said shotgun having a rear stock, a mid-portion, and a barrel extending from the mid-portion, said vehicle having a front seat and a front horizontal floor generally in front of said front seat, said rack including a frame adapted to be mounted to the front floor of said vehicle, said frame including a generally horizontal base plate engageable with and securable to said front floor of said vehicle, a front vertical member rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from the front of said base plate, a rear vertical member rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from the rear of said base plate, said rear vertical member extending upwardly above the level of the upper end of said front vertical member, a top plate rigidly secured to the upper ends of said front and rear vertical members and extending downwardly and forwardly beyond said front vertical member, and a muzzle member secured to the forward, lower end of said top member, said top member having gun lock means securely mounted thereon and said muzzle member having a muzzle plug mounted on one face thereof and extending toward said gun lock, said gun lock being selectively operable between a closed position and an open position, said gun lock when in its open position permitting said shotgun to be readily inserted in a stowed position within said rack with the barrel of said shotgun pointing generally forwardly and downwardly toward said muzzle member and with the barrel of said shotgun receiving said muzzle plug, said lock being engageable with said mid-portion of said shotgun whereby said lock positively prevents substantial sidewise, vertical and axial movement of the mid-portion of said shotgun and said muzzle plug prevents substantial sidewise and vertical movement of the muzzle of said shotgun relative to said rack.

Claim 10

A rack for installation in the front passenger compartment of a vehicle so as to mount a weapon securely in a generally horizontal position within the vehicle thereby to permit the shotgun to be safely and securely carried within the vehicle and yet to permit ready access to the shotgun when required by authorized personnel, said shotgun having a rear stock, a mid-portion, and a barrel extending from the mid-portion, said vehicle having a front seat and a front horizontal floor generally in front of said front seat, said rack including a frame adapted to be mounted to the front floor of said vehicle, said frame including a generally horizontal base plate engageable with and securable to said front floor of said vehicle, a front vertical member rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from the front of said base plate, a rear vertical member rigidly secured to and extending upwardly from the rear of said base plate, said rear vertical member extending upwardly above the level of the upper end of said front vertical member, a top plate rigidly secured to the upper ends of said front and rear vertical members and extending downwardly and forwardly beyond said front vertical member, and a muzzle member secured to the forward, lower end of said top member, said top member having gun lock means securely mounted thereon and said muzzle member having a muzzle plug mounted on one face thereof and extending toward said gun lock, said gun lock being selectively operable between a closed position and an open position, said gun lock when in its open position permitting said shotgun to be readily inserted in a stowed position within said rack with the barrel of said shotgun pointing generally forwardly and downwardly toward said muzzle member and with the barrel of said shotgun receiving said muzzle plug, said lock being engageable with said mid-portion of said shotgun whereby said lock positively prevents substantial sidewise, vertical and axial movement of the mid-portion of said shotgun and said muzzle plug prevents substantial sidewise and vertical movement of the muzzle of said shotgun relative to said rack.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7 wherein said muzzle plug requires substantial rearward axial movement of said shotgun before said shotgun is removable from said holder.

Claim 12

The rack of claim 8 wherein said rack is positioned so that the rear stock of said shotgun is directed toward the driver seat of said vehicle.

Claim 13

The device of claim 9 wherein said shotgun includes a rear stock, said frame being positioned to direct said stock toward a driver position of a vehicle.