US3133353A - Lead sight - Google Patents

Description

' MRCH 800M E. E. WILLIAMS LEAD SIGHT Filed NOV. 19, 1962 May 19, 1964 EDWARD E MLL/AMS ATTOR EY;

United States Patent 3,133,353 LEAD SIGHT Edward E. Williams, Rte. 3, Box 10, Mound, Minn. Filed Nov. 19, 1962, Ser. No. 238,552 7 Claims. (Cl. 33-51) This invention relates generally to gun sights, and more particularly to a gun sight by means of which the user, when sighting on a target moving laterally across the line of sight, leads the target with the gun barrel.

An important object of this invention is the provision of a lead sight for use on the breech or receiver portion of a gun, and which provides for the correct lead when sighting on targets moving in either of opposite directions laterally of the line of sight.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a sight as set forth, which is used independently of the sights normally provided on guns, and which materially aids the user in sighting on the target.

Another object of this invention is the provision of a sight as described which may be quickly and easily mounted on the breech or receiver portion of a gun, and which does not affect the balance of the gun when used thereon.

Still another object of my invention is the provision of a lead sight, as set forth, which is simple and inexpensive to produce, which needs no adjustments, and which is rugged in construction and durable in use.

The above, and still further. highly important objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following detailed specification, appended claims and attached drawings.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate the invention, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a view partly in plan and partly diagrammatic, illustrating the use of the gun sight of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in side elevalion;

FIG. 3 is a view in rear elevation of the gun sight removed from the gun;

FIG. 4 is a view in horizontal section, taken on the line 44 of FIG. '2, with the gun removed; and

FIG. 5 is a view in perspective showing the bottom and rear end portion of a modified form of the invention.

The numeral 1 indicates, in its entirety, a conventional gun, such as a shotgun, including an elongated barrel 2 extending forwardly from a breech or receiver 3, a stock 4 and a fore end 5. A firing trigger 6 is shown in FIG. 2 within the usual trigger guard 7.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, a generally V-shaped body is indicated in its entirety by the numeral 8. The body 8 comprises a pair of elongated tubular body sections 9 and 10 which converge rearwardly and which are joined at their rear ends. The body 8 may be made from any suitable material, such as molded synthetic plastics or metal, the body sections 9 and 10 defining axially elongated sighting apertures or channels 11 and 12 respectively, the ape-rtures 11 and 12 joining at their rear ends to provide a single opening or channel 13 for both said apertures or channels 11 and 12. With reference to FIGS. 1 and 4, it will be seen that the extended axes of the apertures 11 and 12, shown by broken lines A and B intersect at a point C in rearwardly spaced relation to the body 8. Preferably, the distance between the intersection point C and the rear end of the body 8 is somewhat less than the overall length of the body 8.

The body 8 is formed to provide a pair of laterally outwardly projecting ears or flanges 14 each having aper- 3,133,353 Patented May 19, 1964 tures 15 for the reception of opposite ends of elastic elements in the nature of coil springs or the like 16. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with the body 8 resting on the top surface portion of the receiver or breech portion 3 of the gun 1, the elastic members or springs 16 are adapted to encompass the underlying portion of the gun I, and are under tension to securely hold the body or sight 8 in position preferably, the body 8 is placed longitudinally of the gun so that the users sighting eye will be substantially coincident with the point C, so that the user may sight axially through either aperture or channel 11 and 12 without unnecessary shifting of his head relative to the gun. When the sight is properly mounted on the gun, as above described, the angle described by the axes A and B of the apertures 11 and 12 is bisected by a vertical plane coincident with the axis of the gun barrel 2, the gun barrel axis being shown by a broken line in FIG. 1 and indicated at In"11,the user sights through the aperture 11 or 12 which is disposed at the side from which a laterally moving target approaches the firing area. In other words, when a laterally moving target is in motion from the side of the gun at which the tubular section 9 is disposed, the user will sight through the aperture 11 of the body section '8. This action automatically lines up the barrel 2 of the gun '1 so that, when the target is sighted through the aperture 11, and the gun fired, the shot and the target will arrive simultaneously at a given point. In other words, the angular relationship of the axes A and B is such that sighting through the aperture 11 will automatically position the gun barrel 2 to provide the correct lead for the moving target. In FIG. 1, arrows E and F associated with the broken lines A and B, indicate the lateral movement of targets and the apertures 11 and 12 which should be used according to the direction of movement of the targets.

For straight away shooting, or shooting at a target which directly approaches or directly moves away from the user, I provide a sighting ring element 17 at the top portion of the body 8 and having an axis that is parallel to the axis D of the gun barrel 2 when the body 8 is mounted on the gun as above described. The ring element 17 is used in cooperation with the bead sight 18 usually provided on the top portions of gun barrels, such as shotgun barrels, adjacent the front ends thereof. The disposition of the ring element 17 at the top of the body 8 provides for proper elevation of the gun barrel 2 when the ring element 17 is used in connection with the head 18, to provide the proper lead for rising movement of the target when the same is moving generally toward or away from the hunter.

With reference to FIGS. 2-4, it will be noted that the upper and laterally outer portions of the tubular body sections 9 and 10 are thickened at the rear end portions thereof, as indicated at 19. This thickened portion provides for a heavy outline for the common sighting aperture '13, and materially assists the user in sighting through the apertures 11 or 12, the elongation of the apertures 11 and 12 giving the illusion of a telescope sight.

The modified form of sight illustrated in FIG. 5, is similar in all respects to that illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, except for the mounting means therefor. In this form of the invention, the ears or flanges 14 are eliminated, together with the elastic members 16, and a pair of bar magnets 20 are rigidly secured to the bottom surface portions of the rearwardly converging body sections, indicated at 9a and 10a. In all other respects, the sight of FIG. 5 is identical to that illustrated in FIGS. 1-4, and the various parts thereof are identified by the same reference numerals as corresponding parts of the sight of FIGS. 1-4, with the exponent a added.

My novel lead sight, being relatively light in weight and mounted on a gun near the point of balance thereof, has little, if any effect on the overall balance of a shotgun or rifle, when attached thereto. It will be appreciated that the sight is as well adapted for use on a double barreled shotgun as well as a single barreled shotgun or rifie, and that, if desired, the sight may be permanently mounted on a gun by any suitable means, not shown.

My invention has been thoroughly tested and found to be completely satisfactory for the accomplishment of the objectives set forth; and while I have shown a preferred embodiment of my novel lead sight .and a single modified form thereof, it will be understood that the same is capable of further modification without departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A lead sight for guns comprising,

(a) a body,

(b) means for mounting said body on the top surface portion'df a gun adjacent'tli breech thereof,

() said body defining a pair of sighting channels elongated in directions generally longitudinally of a gun barrel when mounted on said gun,

(d) said channels converging rearwardly of said body and terminating in a common channel at the rear end of said body.

2. The structure defined in claim 1 in which the longitudinal axes of said sighting channels intersect in rear- Wardly spaced relation to said body.

3. The structure defined in claim 1 in further combination with means on said body defining a center sight opening having an axis substantially parallel to the axis of a gain barrel when mounted on said gun.

4. The structure defined in claim 1 in which said means comprises a pair of elastic members each connected at its opposite ends to opposite sides of said body, said members being disposed in spaced relation longitudinally of the body and adapted to encompass the underlying portion of a gun when said body is mounted thereon.

5. A lead sight for guns comprising,

(a) a generally V-shaped body,

(b) means for mounting said body on the top surface portion of a gun adjacent the breech thereof,

(0) said body comprising a pair of elongated rear- Wardly converging tubular sections each defining an axially elongated sighting aperture,

(d) said tubular sections being joined at their rear end portions,

(e) said sighting apertures converging rearwardly and terminating in a common aperture at the rear end of said body,

(1) the axes of said apertures intersecting at a point in rearwardly spaced relation to said body.

6. The structure defined in claim 5 in further combination with a ring element mounted on said tubular sections intermediate the ends of said body and defining a central sight opening the axis of which is generally parallel to the axis of the barrel of a gun when said body is mounted on said gun.

7. In combination with a gun including an elongated barrel, a lead sight comprising:

(a) a body mounted on the top portion of said gun adjacent the breech thereof,

(b) said body defining a pair of sighting apertures elongated in directions generally longitudinally of said barrel,

(c) said sighting apertures converging rearwardly relative to said body and terminating in a common aperture at the rear end of said body,

'(d) the axes of said apertures intersecting at a point rearwardly of said body,

(e) a vertical plane coincident with the longitudinal axis of said gun bisecting the angle defined by the axes of said sighting apertures.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,421,553 Pohl July 4, 1922 2,234,518 C-uzdey Mar. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 118,249 Switzerland Dec. 16, 19 6

Claims (1)

1. A LEAD SIGHT FOR GUNS COMPRISING, (A) A BODY, (B) MEANS FOR MOUNTING SAID BODY ON THE TOP SURFACE PORTION OF A GUN ADJACENT THE BREECH THEREOF, (C) SAID BODY DEFINING A PAIR OF SIGHTING CHANNELS ELONGATED IN DIRECTIONS GENERALLY LONGITUDINALLY OF A GUN BARREL WHEN MOUNTED ON SAID GUN, (D) SAID CHANNELS CONVERGING REARWARDLY OF SAID BODY AND TERMINATING IN A COMMON CHANNEL AT THE REAR END OF SAID BODY.

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