US3161960A

US3161960A - Gun sight

Info

Publication number: US3161960A
Application number: US169748A
Authority: US
Inventors: Joseph A Badali
Original assignee: Olin Corp
Current assignee: Olin Corp
Priority date: 1962-01-30
Filing date: 1962-01-30
Publication date: 1964-12-22
Anticipated expiration: 1981-12-22

Description

gmw WW 33-257. UR 3 161 960 SR Dec. 22, 1964 .1. A. BADALI 3,161,960

GUN SIGHT Filed Jan. 30, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet l f INVENTOR. I JOSEPH A. BADALI 3 FIG-2 Dec. 22, 1964 J. A. BADALI 3,

GUN SIGHT Filed Jail. 50, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 25 INVENTOR.

JOSEPH A. BADALI ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,161,960 GUN SIGHT Joseph A. Badali, Branford, Conn, assignor to Olin Mathiesou Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia Filed Tan. 39, 1962, Ser. No. 169,748 9 Claims. (El. 3355) This invention relates to sights for firearms, and particularly to an improved small arms rear sight adjustable both vertically and horizontally.

To account for the factors of windage and range, an adjustment in the line of sight must be made; but in small arms gun sights of an adjustable character have heretofore been of a rather delicate and complex construction because of the limitation of small size preferred and precision required. Such sights frequently have been not only an awkwardly appended most easily damaged part of the gun, but also a rather expensively made part of the gun.

It is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide a compact and easily adjustable sight of study as well as sleek construction. Another object is to economically provide a light, but durable plastic gun sight of improved reliability and accuracy for true sighting. A still further object is to provide a resilient sight with both audible and visible detection of elevation adjustment. Another object is to provide elevation adjustment in a multiplicity of precise steps as quickly, reliably, and simply as possible without the need for a great number of delicate components. Another object is to provide an easily secured separate sight assembly the parts of which are detachably secured in the gun in association with the barrel and forearm structure of the gun at its barrel. A further object is the provision of gunsight largely of resinous plastic parts including a resilient sight support of reliably constant snap-back character for holding the parts in functional position and capable of being pulled out of functional engagement without impairing the support.

Other objects and advantages will be evident from a description of a specific embodiment of the invention when taken together with the accompanying drawing in which:

FIGURE 1 is a partial plan view of a gun showing the preferred embodiment of rear sight according to this in vention mounted on a portion of the firearm barrel and with the sight leaf swung aside for better illustrating the parts and relative movement of the parts for adjustment;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the sight of FIGURE 1 shown partly in cross section taken on a longitudinal center line and disassembled from the adjacent gun structure, a part of which is also shown;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary view taken on the offset section line III-III of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the ele vator element;

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view of a leaf spring employed in the embodiment described;

FIGURE 6 is a transverse fragmentary view on line VIVI; and

FIGURE 7 is a rear view of line VIIVII showing only the sight leaf and spring.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a gun sight arrangement characterized by a flexible sight leaf mounted on a base in cantilever from one end for coaction with a wedge member movably secured between said base and leaf to change the elevation of said sight. Specifically, a rear sight is provided formed largely of strong impact resistant plastic resin, preferably polyacetal, having desired flexibility in the leaf but including a metal leaf spring for imparting reliable and durable spring characteristics to avoid the relaxation and undesirable change that occurs with ageing and/ or over-strain of most plastics. A stepped wedge member is contemplated with a plurality of cam platforms for cooperation with a follower on the leaf to obtain desired step-by-step elevation adjustment with not only manual sensing but also audible clicking and visible indicia for detection and control of the adjustment. By providing ridges with sloped sides between the platforms continuous changes of elevation at least in the direction of increasing the direction is obtained together with a quick change back to close range as the follower drop from the highest platform to the lowest to repeat the cycle in that direction. Change in the reverse direction is obtainable quickly over most of the cycle since this is in the direction of reduced spring bias and not against bias; by sloping between the extreme terminal cam surfaces a more nearby sudden return may also be obtained in the reverse direction of change from near to far range but usually this latter refinement is not needed.

The Wedge member takes the form of an elevator wheel mounted centerlessly by peripheral constraint.

In this wheel, the platforms and ridges are disposed in alternation in a continuous peripheral arrangement occupying substantially all of the upper annular surface of the wheel, which makes not only for quick changes over the whole area of adjustment but also eliminates any wasted motion, such as would occur if only a portion of the surface were stepped. This arrangement also serves to lock the wheel at each selected adjustment against being accidentally rotated. Also, the arrangement allows for windage adjustment at each platform without change in elevation.

The parts are designed for quick assembly and disassembly to facilitate cleaning. The arrangement is notable for its simplicity of fastening requiring only a single screw fastener and a manually detachable bayonet connection. The elevation adjusting member is a floating piece intervening the base and leaf between which it is clamped ro tatably in the form of a stepped wedge.

In addition, there is provided means for moving one end of the leaf transversely with respect to the base for windage adjustment without adversely affecting the elevation' The device preferably takes the form shown in the drawing.

The sight of the present invention is shown in FIGURE 1 mounted at the breech on a weapon of the slide action type, for example, including a barrel receiver 1, a barrel 2 mounted on the receiver and locked thereto by means of a barrel collar 3. The reciprocating, cocking, loading and ejection action is actuated by the forestock 5 part of Which is shown attached to the underside of the barrel 2, the breech end of which is spaced from the sides of i the hollowed out rear end of the forestock by leaving the cavity between barrel and forestock open at the top as shown in FIGURE 6.

Mounted by threaded fastener 6 at the longitudinally elongated and countersunk mounting screw hole 7 on the barrel so as to cover the cavity is the saddle-shaped plastic base 10 having down the middle of its back, a thickened sight back or dorsal hump 11 located opposite the centrally located mounting groove 12 running from end to end on the underside of the base, having an arcuate transverse shape complementary to this part of the topside of the barrel at the breech where the base is mounted and held secure by fastener 6 extending through the adjustably elongated opening 7 so that the end of fastener 6 may engage with the threaded recess 4 in the barrel. The rear end of the mounting groove is enlarged at 13 to fit over collar 3. At the rear, hump 11 is enlarged to form a sight ramp 19 having a mat finish top surface and an indicator cut 20. Depending from the rear end of the base are slide

forearm guides

14 and 15 which help center the sides of the forearm 5 and keep these sides from rubbing the receiver when forearm reciprocation occurs. In other types of firearms, these guides may be omitted.

At the front end, sight back 11 is provided with a key slotted opening 17 for detachably mounting the plastic sight leaf 21 at the leaf mounting lug or post 31 having a mounting lip 32 for locking the leaf 21 on the base with a bayonet type connection at 17 when the leaf is lined up longitudinally with the upward protruding back 11 in overlying relation. By swinging the other end of leaf 21 to one side or the other, after lifting it, the operator exposes the elevator receiving well 16 and may detach the leaf entirely from the base for easy inspection and cleaning. Mounted between sight back if and leaf 21 is a metal leaf spring 22 of open construction (FIG- URE 5) for imparting a reliably permanent set or bias to the free end of the resilient leaf. For mounting on the post 31 of the leaf, the spring has a mounting orifice 27 formed at one end as an enlarged continuation of the spring slot 26 through which the mounting lip 32 of the post will clear. At the opposite end the spring has a spring notch 23 formed between two rearwardly extending spring fingers 24 and 2S. Notch 23 receives the sight and follower vane 35 extending from the rear end of leaf 21; for this purpose vane 35 has an enlargement 3'7 on each side spaced from and forming with the leaf 21 side grooves for reception of the fingers. Spring 22 has a curvature such that when its rear end is locked to the rear end of the laef, spring fingers 24 and 2S bearing on the enlargements 37 impart a downward bias as the front end of the spring at orifice 27 is locked between leaf 2i and back 11 of the base 10.

The rear end of leaf 21 has a rear sight notch 34 and the vane 35 the rear end extension of which is colored for ready discernment to provide a sight indicator 36, of white for example against the black background of the other sight parts. The bottom of the vane extends downward to form the follower 38 biased by the spring against the cam surface of elevator wheel 50.

Sight elevator 50 is mounted in well 16 in constraint permitting rotation of the wheel the sides of which extend from the open sides of the Well forming lateral interruptions in the longitudinally extending dorsal hump 11. Here manual torque is applied to the exposed periphery of wheel 50 which may be knurled for this purpose, although ridges 53 assist in receiving torque generating force. The wheel is further constrained detachably in the well by the leaf 21 acting through follower 38 under bias of the spring. Enlargements 37 align with opening 51.

The fiat-bottomed wheel is formed about a central opening 51 (FIGURE 4) and has an upper surface forming a step-by-step Wedge cam surface. This is made up of elevator platforms 52 forming steps of a gradual rise, adjacent rises being separated by a ridge 53 having sloped sides. Thus, the follower 38 is retained against accidental change on a platform by the ridges 53, but the

sloped sides

56 and 57 enable the follower to ride up to the top of either ridge as the wheel Ell is manually given a torque to adjust the elevation, change of which is accompanied by a distinct click as the follower falls from the top of a ridge to the next platform. In addition, to this audible indication of elevation change there are provided indicia characters 58 on the platforms as shown for detection of elevation at the index mark 40 formed on one side of the topside of the saddle-shaped base 10.

Between the highest ridge and the lowest platform the elevator member has a stop or shoulder 54 indicative of the extremity of the elevation adjusting cycle. This stop prevents continuous turning in the reverse direction; reproportioning of the cam surface may be made to allow for a slope at shoulder 54 where an uninterrupted reversal is desired in the cycle.

Windage adjustment is provided by turning windage screw 44- mounted to pass through the hump 11 at the ramp 19. This screw is formed with a circumferential screw notch 45 for mating reception of engagement with the sight vane extension 35. Screw notch 45 is exposed in the windage notch 18 formed in the plastic base 10 to communicate with the well at the rear side of the well 16. During windage adjustment the selected elevation is maintained because wheel 50 is freely rotatable within limits defined by the relatively widely spaced ridges 53 and because each platform is sufficiently extensive to be wider in the circumferential direction than the follower 38.

The sight is easily cleaned because its parts may be readily dismantled and reassembled without tedious effort.

The colored indicator 36 is visibly aligned through indicator notch 20 with sight 34.

The gun sight requires no treatment to avoid rust and corrosion, and being largely of a plastic resin of compact recessed construction, it is resistant to fracture, or misalignment from impact. Being of heat resistant high strength plastic it is not susceptible to contraction and overheating and inaccuracy from that cause.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the gunsight of this invention is of improved durability, and may be readily applied to smallarms of various types such as those of the slide action type. The lever action type and even the semi-automatic type, for example, without necessitating major changes in the other parts of the gun. No change need be made in the construction of the gun other than the provision of a fastening arrangement such as a mounting screw. Interference with the present operation of the gun is avoided; rather it is improved both as to sighting and protective coverage at the breech end of the barrel.

While the embodiment described is now believed to be that preferred, it will be understood that those skilled in the art may make various changes and modifications Without departing from the spirit and scope of this invention as set forth in appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A gun sight comprising a barrel-mounted sight base, a flexible sight-supporting leaf mounted at one end on said base for both annular and flexing movement of the opposite end of said leaf with respect to said base, said opposite end carrying the sight, an annular elevation adjustment member carrying a cam surface extending in graduated steps substantially all around one side of said member, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying a cam follower, said base and opposite end of the leaf having mating means engageable with each other for holding said leaf in a predetermined operable position transversely with respect to said base and cam surface, a leaf spring mounted between said base and leaf, said spring having a curvature adapted to bias said opposite end of the leaf so as to urge said follower to rest against said cam surface for raising and lowering said opposite end and urge said mating means into engagement, said base having mounting means slidably receiving said leaf at said one end so that said opposite end of the leaf may be not only turned aside within limits set by said mating means but also flexed upwardly and moved aside for disengaging said mating means and also said slidable mounted means from said one end to permit replaceable displacement of said adjustment member, spring and leaf from said base, said adjustment member being mounted centerlessly and extending outwardly between said base and said opposite end of the leaf under said bias for manual rotation of said member, and controllable means for carrying and shifting the mating means on said base transversely thereby providing windage adjustment.

2. In combination with a firearm including a barrel, a gun sight comprising a barrel-mounted sight base, fastening means for securing said base to said barrel, a flexible sight-supporting leaf mounted at one end on said base for both annular and flexing movement of the opposite end of said leaf with respect to said base, said opposite end carrying the sight, an elevation adjustment wheel carrying a cam surface extending in graduated and recessed steps substantially all around one side of said wheel from a minimum to a maximum elevation adjacent said minimum, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying a cam follower, said base and opposite end of the leaf having mating means engageable with each other for holding said leaf in a predetermined operable position transversely with respect to said base and cam surface, a leaf spring mounted between said base and leaf, said spring having a curvature adapted to bias said opposite end of the leaf so as to urge said follower against said cam surface for raising and lowering said opposite end and urge said mating means into engagement, said base having bayonet mounting means slidably receiving said leaf at said one end so that said opposite end of the leaf may be not only turned aside within limits set by said mating means but also flexed upwardly and turned aside for thereby disengaging said mating means and also said bayonet mounting means from said one end to permit replaceable displacement of said wheel, spring and leaf from said base, said adjustment Wheel being mounted centerlessly and extending outwardly between said base and said opposite end of the leaf under said bias for manual rotation of said wheel, and controllable means for carrying and shifting the mating means on said base transversely thereby providing windage adjustment.

3. The combination of claim 2 wherein the base, the sight leaf and adjustment member are made of molded plastic such as polyacetal resin and the like while the spring is formed of sheet metal sandwiched substantially out of sight between said base and leaf.

4. In combination with a firearm including a barrel, fastening means for securing said base to said barrel, a gun sight comprising a barrel-mounted plastic base, a flexible plastic sight-supporting leaf mounted at one end on said base for both annular and flexing movement of the opposite end of said leaf with respect to said base, said opposite end carrying the sight, an elevation adjustment wheel formed of plastic carrying a cam surface, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying a cam follower, said base and opposite end of the leaf having mating means engageable with each other for holding said leaf in a predetermined operable position transversely with respect to said base and cam surface, a metal leaf spring mounted between said base and leaf, said spring having a curvature adapted to bias said opposite end of the leaf so as to urge said follower against said cam surface for raising and lowering said opposite end and urge said mating means into engagement, said base having bayonet mounting means slidably receiving said leaf at said one end so that said opposite end of the leaf may be not only turned aside within limits set by said mating means but also flexed upwardly and turned aside for thereby disengaging said mating means and also said bayonet mounting means from said one end to permit replaceable displacement of said wheel, spring and leaf from said base, said adjustment wheel being mounted centerlessly and extending on both sides laterally outwardly between said base and said opposite end of the leaf under said bias for manual rotation of said wheel, and controllable means for carrying and shifting the mating means on said base transversely thereby providing windage adjustment, said surface extending in circumferentially graduated steps including recessed platforms in alternation with upwardly extending ridges between adjacent platforms substantially all around the top side of said wheel from a minimum to a maximum elevation adjacent said minimum, some of said platforms having indicia marks, said wheel being freely rotatable in either direction for adjustment in discrete audibly, manually sensibly and visually discernible increments including a most readily discernible adjustment between said minimum and maximum elevation.

5. The combination of claim 1 wherein the adjustment member is a ring and the cam surface consists of circumferentially gradually stepped and recessed platforms each formed on the topside of the ring and each spaced from adjacent platforms by an upwardly extending ridge having sloped sides, at least every other platform having associated therewith an indicia character visible between the base and leaf with reference to an index mark on said base, said ring being continuously rotatable in at least one direction in discrete increments for rapid adjustment in audibly, manually sensibly, and visually discernible increments including a most readily discernible adjustment between the most remote and nearest ranges.

6. In combination with a firearm having a barrel and a forestock with a barrel-receiving recess including a top opening on each side adjacent the topside of the breech of said barrel, a gun sight assembly consisting of a barrel-mounted sight base formed of molded material with an arcuate central groove to conformably overlie said topside and each opening and with a longitudinally extending dorsal hump, a flexible sight-supporting leaf formed of molded plastic material and having a lug for mounting at one end of said leaf on said base for limited movement of the opposite end of said leaf both sidewise and toward and away from said base, said opposite end carrying the sight, said hump having a central mounting means for said lug, an elevation adjustment wheel formed of said material to be conformably carried in a laterally interrupted circular well in said hump for rotation manually effected through the lateral interruptions at the lateral projections of said wheel, said wheel carrying an upper wedge cam surface subdivided into discrete platforms recessed between upraised dividing ridges, said leaf in its operative position overlying said hump and Wheel in substantially centered relation, said opposite end of said leaf also carrying a depending cam follower extending into said well in said position to engage a given platform to provide step'by-step adjustment, said base and opposite end having mating means engageable with each other for locking said leaf in a predetermined position transversely with respect to said base and cam surface, and a metal leaf spring carried strung on said lug in clamped relation thereat between said base and leaf, said spring having a connection to said opposite end and a curvature between said lug and connection adapted to bias said follower between said ridges to said surface to hold said adjustment and provide an audible indication of adjustment and to bias said mating means into engagement, said mounting means and lug adapting said leaf for movement between said operative position and an inoperative position to permit displacement of said leaf from said base by upward flexing and turning aside of said opposite end thereby disengaging said mating means, said wheel being secured rotatably in said well between said follower and base under said bias.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the base includes a mat finished sight ramp back of the sight, and wherein the leaf carries aligned with said sight and ramp an indicator mounted on the rear of the leaf and colored to contrast with said ramp to be readily visible.

8. The combination of claim 6 wherein the base is provided upon the underface thereof with laterally spaced depending projections adapted to slidably engage the interior of the forestock recess for centering and guiding said forestock.

9. The combination of claim 6 including a transversely extending windage adjustment member for moving the mating means and sight laterally without effecting said elevation by simultaneously allowing movement of said 7 Wheel by said follower engaged with the same given platform.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,051,791 1/13 Warner 3358 1,160,374 11/15 Buchanan 3358 Paulson 33-58 Redfield 3350 Brown- 3358 Shy 33-47 Sunderland 33-56 ISAAC LISANN, Primary Exmniner.

Claims

1. A GUN SIGHT COMPRISING A BARREL-MOUNTED SIGHT BASE, A FLEXIBLE SIGHT-SUPPORTING LEAF MOUNTED AT ONE END ON SAID BASE FOR BOTH ANNULAR AND FLEXING MOVEMENT OF THE OPPOSITE END OF SAID LEAF WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE, SAID OPPOSITE END CARRYING THE SIGHT, AN ANNULAR ELEVATION ADJUSTMENT MEMBER CARRYING A CAM SURFACE EXTENDING IN GRADUATED STEPS SUBSTANTIALLY ALL AROUND ONE SIDE OF SAID MEMBER, SAID OPPOSITE END OF SAID LEAF ALSO CARRYING A CAM FOLLOWER, SAID BASE AND OPPOSITE END OF THE LEAF HAVING MATING MEANS ENGAGEABLE WITH EACH OTHER FOR HOLDING SAID LEAF IN A PREDETERMINED OPERABLE POSITION TRANSVERSELY WITH RESPECT TO SAID BASE AND CAM SURFACE, A LEAF SPRING MOUNTED BETWEEN SAID BASE AND LEAF, SAID SPRING HAVING A CURVATURE ADAPTED TO BIAS SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE LEAF SO AS TO URGE SAID FOLLOWER TO REST AGAINST SAID CAM SURFACE FOR RAISING AND LOWERING SAID OPPOSITE END AND URGE SAID MATING MEANS INTO ENGAGEMENT, SAID BASE HAVING MOUNTING MEANS SLIDABLY RECEIVING SAID LEAF AT SAID ONE END SO THAT SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE LEAF MAY BE NOT ONLY TURNED ASIDE WITHIN LIMITS SET BY SAID MATING MEANS BUT ALSO FLEXED UPWARDLY AND MOVED ASIDE FOR DISENGAGING SAID MATING MEANS AND ALSO SAID SLIDABLE MOUNTED MEANS FROM SAID ONE END TO PERMIT REPLACEABLE DISPLACEMENT OF SAID ADJUSTMENT MEMBER, SPRING AND LEAF FROM SAID BASE, SAID ADJUSTMENT MEMBER BEING MOUNTED CENTERLESSLY AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY BETWEEN SAID BASE AND SAID OPPOSITE END OF THE LEAF UNDER SAID BIAS FORMANUAL ROTATION OF SAID MEMBER, AND CONTROLLABLE MEANS FOR CARRYING AND SHIFTING THE MATING MEANS ON SAID BASE TRANSVERSELY THEREBY PROVIDING WINDAGE ADJUSTMENT.