Out of 26 million Texans, you may have an idea to change the world. You may have had several ideas to change the world. But only a tiny minority of you pushed through the U.S. Patent office from application to successful patent. We've seen Texans change the world many times over. Jack Kilby did it with Texas Instruments in 1958 with the integrated circuit, causing the start of the digital revolution, which, in part, is why you can read these words over your electronic device.
Over the last few years, Texas Business has brought its feature: Texas Business Patent of the Day. This list is of the ones that were either extremely clever, odd or strange. One thing becomes apparent from these patents and the patent that runs daily in Texas Business—Texans have a unique mind set.
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Texas Business Patent Of The Day: Keep your aim steady and strong. An East Texas man developed a gun stock to improve your shooting.
David Anthony Phillips of Canton, Texas received U.S. Patent 7,992,336 for “Gunstock.”
Phillips filed for the patent on August 7, 2008.
Typical firearms have a number of drawbacks that make aiming and firing more difficult than necessary, Phillips states in his patent.
For example, firearm users must contort their bodies while shooting by raising their elbows away from their trunks to elevate their firearms and by lowering their heads to sight their firearms.
Also, since most firearms are constructed from relatively heavy components to protect users from explosive discharges, holding elevated firearms steady, especially for prolonged periods, is burdensome for some.
Finally, since no provision is made in conventional firearms for rapidly raising them from resting positions to firing positions, many shots are often missed--a serious burden for hunters.
It is a principal object of Phillips’ invention to provide an improved gunstock that is easy for a user to hold in an elevated, shooting position for prolonged periods.
The gunstock maintains the head of the user in a near vertical orientation and urges the elbows of the user toward his trunk for optimal sighting. With the elbows "in," even users with minimal muscle strength can hold firearms, equipped with the inventive gunstock, steady.
Phillips’ invention is a gunstock, including a barrel brace and a pistol grip projecting downwardly from the rear of the barrel brace.
An X-shaped crosspiece projects rearward from the pistol grip.
A butt projects rearward from the crosspiece. A handle projects forward from the bottom of the pistol grip.
The Texas News Scrawl is a handy reference to stories Texas Business recommends from other news sources. Some of the stories that Texas Business currently suggests include: Texas Bowl seeks new title sponsor; Insult to Injury: Texas Workers’ Comp System Denies, Delays Medical Help; American Airlines continues to shed jobs; Chemical Safety Board shut out of West probe by ATF; America’s greatest threat: Unsafe work conditions; The West News proves the value of a great weekly newspaper in a community torn up with grief and chaos; Chinese investors checking out Texas, Austin;and more.
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