US3182416A

US3182416A - Sighting systems for rifle grenades

Info

Publication number: US3182416A
Application number: US132259A
Authority: US
Inventors: Wyser Giulio
Original assignee: Brevets Aero Mecaniques SA
Current assignee: Brevets Aero Mecaniques SA
Priority date: 1960-09-16
Filing date: 1961-08-03
Publication date: 1965-05-11
Anticipated expiration: 1982-05-11
Also published as: DE1163195B; GB918571A; LU39184A1

Description

G. WYSER' SIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR RIFLE GRENADES May 11,1965

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. :5. 1961 I T' T I \MH N M 1 I ATTORNEYS May 11, 1965 e. WYSER SIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR RIFLE GRENADES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug- 3, 1961 United States Patent 2 Claims. ci. 42-1 The present invention relates to sighting systems for grenades to be launched by a firearm such as a rifle, such systems comprising a sight enabling the rifleman to launch a grenade with the desired elevation by causing a line tangent to the body of the grenade to pass both through the target and through a notch or mark carried by the sight and corresponding to the distance of this target.

It has already been proposed to constitute such systems by a sight adapted to be removably secured to the grenade itself before it is to be launched, preferably on one of the tail fins thereof. However, such an arrangement was unsatisfactory because the Iifleman, before fitting the rear sleeve of the grenade on the barrel of the rifle, had to dispose the grenade in such manner that the fin intended to carry the sight was to be vertical for launching, this condition being very diflicult and practically impossible to be complied with. On the other hand, with some grenade launching rifles, it was not possible to use grenades having a sight secured to one of the tail fins of the grenade because this sight came into contact with some elements of the rifle, such as the bayonet holder, which prevented a correct fitting of the grenade rear sleeve upon the rifle barrel.

The object of the present invention is to obviate these drawbacks.

The essential feature of this invention consists in providing such sighting systems with a sight adapted to be secured in removable manner, before launching, upon a part of the rifle itself.

Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the accompanying drawings, given merely by way of example and in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a grenade provided with a sighting system according to the invention, the sight being shown in the position it occupies for transportation and storing of the grenade.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section on the line IIII of FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3, 4 and 5 show, from the rear, three modifications of the system of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view on the line VIVI of FIG. 7, of a sighting system according to the invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view on the line VII-VII of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a rear view of the sight mounted on the rifle.

FIG. 9 is a side view with parts in longitudinal section, corresponding to FIG. 8.

FIG. 10 is a diagrammatical view showing, in dotted lines, the sighting lines passing through the grenade launching sight and tangent to the grenade body.

According to this invention, grenades such as that shown at 1 are to be launched by means of a rifle the barrel 2 of which is provided at its front end with a launching extension 3 on which can be fitted the tail sleeve 4 of the grenade, this tail being provided with fins 5.

The sighting system comprises a sight 6 made for instance of a plastic material and in the form of an elongated plate, of such dimensions that, when it is fixed to a suitable part of the rifle, the notches provided in said plate permit of giving the necessary elevation to the rifle. For this purpose, this plate forms a kind of frame in the form of an elongated rectangle and the Patented May 11, 1965 lower smaller side 7 of this frame forms a notch 8 corrseponding to a distance of 50 meters of the target from the rifle whereas the upper side 9 of the frame forms a notch it) corresponding to a distance of 150 meters, an intermediate part 11 of the frame being provided with a notch 12 corresponding to a distance of meters.

Advantageously, for transportation and storing, every grenade carries its own sight 6 removably secured laterally, in a detachable manner, on said grenade. in the construction of FIGS. 1 and 2, the portion 9 of the sight carries a projection 13 adapted to be engaged with some friction into a corresponding hole 14 provided in the side wall of the grenade at a place such that when projection 13 is engaged into hole 14, sight 6 is held along the side wall of the grenade, extending parallelly to the axis thereof, along a portion of this side wall where the sight is protected against shocks when the grenade is lying on a fiat surface.

In the modification of FIG. 3, sight 6 may be held in transportation position by means of spring lugs 15, said sight 6 then fitting against a portion of the tail of the grenade located between two fins thereof, sight 6 then having a curved cross-section.

In the modification of FIG. 4 sight 6 is held by spring means 16 against one of the faces of a fin 5.

In the modification of FIG. 5, sight 6 is fitted in a housing formed in one of the fins 5 which is accordingly made hollow and of suitable length.

When the grenade is to be launched, sight 6 is separated from the grenade to which it was secured in a removable manner and it is fixed to a portion of the rifle in the vicinity of the front end of the barrel thereof. Advantageously, sight 6 is secured to the bead sight protector 17 of the rifle.

To ensure this fixation, it suflices for instance to provide the lower side '7 of sight 6 with a projection 18 adapted to be fitted into a housing 19 extending through the upper portion of protector 1'7. Sight 6 can thus be held in position for firing, but it is however ejected without danger for the rifleman, due to the recoil of the rifle.

It will be understood that, for launching purposes, sight 6 is always correctly positioned without requiring any special care from the rifleman. On the other hand, the tail 4 of the grenade may be in any position whatever with respect to the barrel without the fins being liable to come into contact with some portion of the rifle, such as the bayonet holder 20.

Finally, the sight will be fitted with the correct graduations, provided of course that it corresponds to the launching rifle that is used. Thus, since the rifleman uses for every grenade the sight 6 carried by it, he cannot use for a given grenade a sight graduated for a different grenade, as this could happen when the rifle carries several sighting graduations between which the rifleman had to make a choice.

Advantageously, sight 6 is provided on one of the sides of the frame that it forms with a range finder scale 21 which permits of determining the distance of a target (for instance a tank) the height of which is known.

In a general manner, while I have, in the above descrip' tion, disclosed what I deem to be a practical and eflicient embodiment of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not Wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts Without departing from the principle of the present invention as comprehended within the scope of the accompanying claims.

What I claim is:

1. In combination, a rifle grenade, a rifle capable of launching said grenade fitted thereto, a. supplementary said grenade fitted to said rifle, and means for detachably securing said sight to said grenade for storing and transportation therewith, said means comprising a projection carried by said sight, the side wall of said grenade being provided with a hole in which said projection can be engaged with some friction.

' 2'. In combination, a rifle grenade having a tail, a rifle comprising a barrel, a grenade launching extension carried by the front end of said barrel, on which extension said grenade tail can be fitted, a sight for bullet firing carried by said barrel at the rear of said grenade barrel to surround said sight, a sight corresponding to said grenade for the launching thereof ,by means of said rifle, a downward projection carried by the lower end of said second mentioned sight, said sight protector being provided in its upper part with a housing adapted to accommodate said projection.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/53 Haase.

2,788,599 4/57 Brandt 42-1 2,968,870 1/61 Brandt. 3,012,349 12/61 Donatsch 42-1 launching extension, and a sight protector carried by said 15 BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

Claims

2. IN COMBINATION, A RIFLE GRENADE HAVING A TAIL, A RIFLE COMPRISING A BARREL, A GRENADE LAUNCHING EXTENSION CARRIED BY THE FRONT END OF SAID BARREL, ON WHICH EXTENSION SAID GRENADE TAIL CAN BE FITTED, A SIGHT FOR BULLET FIRING CARRIED BY SAID BARREL AT THE REAR OF SAID GRENADE LAUNCHING EXTENSION, AND A SIGHT PROTECTOR CARRIED BY SAID BARREL TO SURROUND SAID SIGHT, A SIGHT CORRESPONDING TO SAID GRENADE FOR THE LAUNCHING THEREOF BY MEANS OF SAID RIFLE, A DOWNWARD PROJECTION CARRIED BY THE LOWER END OF SAID SECOND MENTIONED SIGHT, SAID SIGHT PROTECTOR BEING PROVIDED IN ITS UPPER PART WITH A HOUSING ADAPTED TO ACCOMMODATE SAID PROJECTION.