US1624347A - Sighting indicator for firearms - Google Patents

Description

om igen-2mm? April 12 1927. 1,624,347

J. W. F. LAMONT ET AL SIGHTING INDICATOR FOR FIREARMS Filed May 22. 1926 .dil i .d i l misil,

Patented Apr. 12, 1,927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN WILLIAM FRASER LAMONT AND HERBERT DICKINSON, OF LONDON, ENGLAND; SAID DICKIN SON ASSIGNOR TO SAID LAMONT.

SIGHTING INDICATOR FOR FIREARMS.

Application filed May 22, 1926, Serial No. 110,990, and in Great Britain May 26, 1925.

Our invention relates to an improved indiits two ends to the usual sling clips provided eating device adapted for use in connection with the sighting of tire-arms. This is intended to show the degree of correctness in the sighting oi' the tire-arm by momentarily projecting upon the target a spot of light, the projection of which is controlled by the trigger ot the fire-arm.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple and improved device of this type adapted to be readily fitted to almost any existing type of fire-arm and embodying an improved form of electrical contact adapted to be actuated by or through the firing mechanism thereof so as to close an electric circuit momentarily and to thus illuminate an electric lamp which projects a spot of light by means of a reiector and optical lens or lenses on to the target so as to indicate the spot on which the fire-arm was aimed.

According to this invention, We employ a sim )le form of electrical contact comprising a slidable Weight adapted to be actuated through the hammer or bolt ot' the tire-arm or through the momentum or impact thereoil so as to cause the Weight to slide and to en gage contacts so as to complete an electrical circuitthrough a small electric lamp connected with a suitable battery mounted upon the fire-arm or carried by the user. Suitable spring or other means are employed.7 to return the slidable Weight and again break contact so as to extinguish the lamp. A reflector and suitable lens or lenses are provided so as to project the light from the lamp in the required direction. The slidable contact :levice and the light and optical system forits projection are preferably embodied in a single unit, such for instance as a tubular casing or upon a single base. In the case of a sporting gun or like tire-arm, the hammer or its equivalent may strike directly upon the sliding Weight or upon a pin or connection adapted to transmit the impact of the hammer or its equivalent thereto so as to actuate the Weight and close the electrical circuit momentarily at the required time. W hen it is required to tit our improved device to a rifle of the Well known service pattern, the contact device and the optical system may be connected up as a unit 1n a suitable tubular or other casing adapted to be secured as an attachment to the exterior of the rie as for instance by attaching on the fore part of the rifle. In this case the slidable weight is very delicately balanced and is adapted to be operated to close the circuit through the impact' of the bolt of the rifle when this is released. The resultant jar ot' the released bolt will be communicated through the rifle so as to cause the delicately balanced Weight to move under the influence of the momentum imparted to it so as to close the circuit momentarily, a suitable spring acting to return the Weight almost at once. In this manner no actual alterations are necessary to the riiie itself and no connection need be made to its mechanism. In ntting the device into a sporting gun or the like in which the bore of the barrel or the chamber for the reception or' the cartridges is ot' considerable dimension, our improved device may be made to fit in the breech of the gun in the place of a cartridge. The voltage or current for illuminating the lamp may be considerably above the normal for which the latter is intended so as to obtain the desired brilliance during the exceedingly short period for which the lamp is illuminated.

In order that our invention may be clearly understood, reference is made to the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a service rifle with one form of our improved device fitted thereto as an attachment.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing 2li suitable arrangement of the device used in tig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a part sectional view of a sporting gun showing our improved device itted Within the barrel thereof.

Fig. 4 is a part sectional elevation to an enlarged scale of the device fitted in the breech of the sporting gun, and

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic arrangement of a. suitable form of sliding contact device and electrical lamp according to our invention.

Referring to Figs. l and 2, our improved indicating device l is arranged as a unit in a tubular casing and is shown fitted to a standard service pattern rifle 2 being connected to the bands 3 and et on the fore part of the rifle and Which usually act as clips for securing the sling. Electric leads 5 extend from the rear end of the device to a suitable electrical battery or other source of current which may be carried on the person of the user or mounted on the rifle or in any other suitable position.

The construction of the indicating device l is shown in Fig. 2 and comprises an outer tubular casing 10 itted with a projector lens 11 at its forward end and a reflector 12 in a suitable position along its length. In front of `the rellector is supported a small electric light bulb 14 so that when this is illuminated the light from the reflector will be projected by the lens 11 so as to be focused in a bright spot upon the target at which the rifle is directed. It desired, a suitable condenser 15 may be provided between the lamp 14 and the projector lens 11, but this may be omitted if desired. In the latter case, the reflector 12 will be suitably formed to act as a combined reflector lens.

In the rear portion of the casing 10 is supported the electrical contact device comprising a block of insulating material 2O in which is supported a pair of contact blades 21, each of which are connected in circuit with the lamp and an electric battery. Centrally mounted in the block 20 is a spindle 22 upon which is arranged the Contact Weight 23, whilst the rear end of the spindle 22 engages in a guide plate 24. A suitable fine spring 25 is interposed between the contact weight 28 and the block 20 so as to normally hold the former out of contact with the blades 2l. The front end of the spindle 22 is screw-threaded and provided with an adjusting nut 26 by means of which the position of the weight 23 may be adjusted. The cap 27 in the rear end of the casing 10 is provided with an opening 28 through which the leads upon the battery may pass. If desired, the casing 10 may be made in two parts separable near the end of the block 20 so as to facilitate access to the nut 26 or for other purposes.

The slidable contact weight 23 is adapted to be actuated by the impact of the bolt 6 of the riiie when this is released by the trigger 7. In the usual service pattern rifle, the force of impact of the bolt 6 when released is sutlicient to cause the slidable weight 23 to move toward and engage the two blades 21 so as to close the electric circuit through the lamp 14. The effect is however, only momentary, and the spring 25 again returns it to its original position, breaking the contact so that the lamp will only be illuminated for a very short period. The result of this is that a spot of bright light will be projected upon the target in a position at which it would have been struck by a bullet had the rifle really been fired at the time the trigger was pulled. This enables the accuracy with which the riiie was sighted to be easily tested in any suitable place without the necessity for actually firing the same and consequently avoiding all danger or the necessity for taking special precautions against it.

Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, these show the application of our improved device to a. sporting gun in which the slidable contact weight is actuated directly by the mechanism of the gun.r The sporting gun 30 is provided with a suitable projection lens 3l in the barrel thereof, and an electric lamp 32 and reflector 33 are arranged in the barrel toward the breech end thereof. In the actual breech of the gun is fitted a slidable contact device in such a manner that the actual firing mechanism of the gun will actuate the weight directly when it is released by the trigger 34. In the sectional view shown in Fig. 4 the block 40 of insulating material supports the two contact blades 41 and the spindle 42 carrying the slidable contacts 43. A spring 44 is provided bet-Ween the Weight and the block 40, and a nut 45 is provided on the screwthreaded end of the spindle 44 for adjustment purposes. In the end of the breech is provided a cap 46 having a loosely fitting pin 47 therein, the outer end of which projects slightly' from the cap and is located so that it will be struck sharply by the end of the firing lever 48 when this is released by the trigger 34. This arrangement applies to the type of sporting gun known as a hammer-less type, but it is to be understood that the actual hammer may serve the same purpose in the type of sporting gun so tted. The impact of the firing lever 48 on the loose pin 47 will cause it to strike sharply upon the slidable weight 43 moving it into Contact with the two blades 41 so as to close the circuit and cause the electric lamp to be illuminated. Sufficient clearance is however, left between the end of the loose pin 46 and the end of the slidable weight 48 to permit' the latter to return under the influence of the spring and so again break the circuit and extinguish the lamp automatically.

In Fig. 5 is shown a` diagrammatic arrangement in which a lamp 50 and lens reflector 5l are mounted upon a base board 52 of insulating material. A pair of contact blades 53 and 54 are also arranged on the base board 52 and connected in circuit with the lamp and a suitable source of electric current. Slidably mounted in guides 55 is a spindle 56 carrying upon its end the slidable plate 57 and having a coil spring 58 arranged around the spindle and between one of the guides 55 and an adjustable nut 59 on the spindle. Movement of the slidable weight 57 may be effected by an actual blow upon the end of the spindle 56 so as to cause the weight 57 to strike against the contact blade 54 so as to bring it into engagement with the other Contact blade to complete the circuit. Instead of a direct lll() blow upon the spindle 56, the momentum caused by' the impact of some other movable part such as the bolt ot a rifle may be employed for causing the slidable Weight to move in the desired manner.

lVhilst our improved device has been described in detail as applied to small arms such as rifles, sporting guns and the like it is to be understood that it may be equally well applied in connection with larger lirearms such as ordnance, machine guns and the like.

l. A sighting indicator for firearms comprising an electric lamp connected in circuit with a source of current,a pair of contact blades also connected in the circuit, a guide, a slidable bodily movable weight associated with said guide and adapted to be actuated by the mechanism of the gun when released by the operating trigger to close the contacts and an optical system to project the light from the lamp so as to momentarily produce a spot of light upon the target.

2. A sighting indicator for fire-arms comprising an electric lamp connected in circuit Wit-h a source of current, a pair of contact blades also connected in the circuit, a slidable Weight adapted to be actuated indirectly by the momentum set up by releasing the .firing mechanism of the gun when released by the operating trigger to close the con tacts, spring means. to return the slidable Weight directly contact is made, and an optical system to project the light from the lamp so as to momentarily produce a spot of light upon the target.

A sighting indicator for lire-arms comprising an electric lamp connected in circuit with a source of current, an electrical contact device in the form of a pair of contact blades supported upon an insulating base and connected in the electrical circuit, a slidable Weight, a centrally disposed pin upon which is mounted the slidable Weight, a light coil spring interposed between the weight and the base anda loose pin mounted in a suitable guide and adapted to receive the direct blow of the striker orf hammer of the gun and to in turn impart this to the slidable weight so as to cause it to 1nomentarily engage the contact blades.

4. A sighting indicator for fire-arms comprising a casing, a lamp and optical system arranged in the forward part of the casing, a circuit closing device in the rear end of the said casing comprising a block of insulating material, a pair of spring Contact blades mounted on the block, an axial pin disposed between the blades, a slidable Weight on the pin mounted so sensitively that the impact ot' the bolt ot' a riie when released will cause the Weight to move forward and engage the contact blades and spring means to return the Weight so that only momentary fcontact will result.

5. A sighting indicator for fire-arms come prising a tubular casing, an electric lamp located in the casing, a series of projecting lens in front of the lamp and a reflector behind it, a pair of contact blades adapted to be connected in circuit with the lamp and a source of current, a Weight mounted on a pin slidable in guides in the casing, so that the impact of the firing mechanism when released Will cause the Weight to engage the contact blade, a spring to return the weight and means for adjusting the said spring.

6. A sighting indicator for ire-arms com prising a tubular casing, an electric lamp located in the casing, a series of projecting lens in front of the lamp, and a reflector behind it, a pair of contact blades adapted to be connected in circuit With the lamp and a source of current, a weight mounted on a pin slidable in guides in the casing, a loose pin mounted in a guide in the rear end of the case and having a projecting end adapted to be struck directly by the hammer of the gun causing it to strike the Weight and impel it against the contact blades, a spring to return the Weight after contact is made and means for adjusting the said spring.

JOHN WILLIAM FRASER LAMONT. HERBERT DICKINSON.l

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