US731712A - Device for lighting gun-sights. - Google Patents

Description

PATENTED JUNHZS. 1903.

H. SGHLAEGEL. In DEVICE FOR LIGHTING GUN SIGHTS.

APPLIOATION TILED MAY 8, 1902.

N0 MODEL M-ed NITED STATES Patented June 23, 1903.

DEVICE FOR LIGHTING GUN-SIGHTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 731,712, dated June 23, 1903.

Application filed May 8, 1902. Serial No. 106,404. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HANS SCHLAEGEL, a subject of the German Emperor, residing at 5 Ladoucettestrasse, in the city of Metz, Alsace-Lorraine, in the German Empire, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Illuminating Sights of Firearms by Electricity, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my invention is to provide means for illuminating the front and rear sights of small firearnissuch as guns, rifles,

and the like-by electricity, so as to make it possible to take the aim with reasonable exactness even in the dark without betraying the position of the shooter. \Vith this point in view the front and rear sights of the gun are each provided with a laterally-arranged incandescent lamp, the circuit of which is so arranged that the shooter in taking the aim can by the operation of a contact by his left hand as it holds the gun close the electric circuit, so as to throw a light simultaneously upon the front and rear sights of the gun while taking the aim. In this operation it is, however, of extreme importance to avoid any dazzling of the eyes of the shooter, and, on the other hand, it is necessary to so arrange the light that the enemy or the animal that is to be shot will not bcadvised of the position of the shooter or become scared. 'lhese difticulties are avoided in which is especially intended to prevent any dazzling of the eyes of the shooter and the disclosing of the position occupied by the shooter, respectively.

My improved device for lighting the sights of guns is shown. in two rnis, together with some constructional (lei s, on the accompanying drawings. V i

Said invention "uiiyshown and described in the following specification, of which the accompanying drawn s form a part, wherein similar lGtZQlS of relorence designate like or equivalent parts wherever found throughout the several views, and in which- Figure l is a side View ot a military smallarin riile provided with my improved sightilluniinating devices. Fig. '1' is alike view of a rifle provided with a circuit of examine-tors,

my invention,

including a switch and battery therein from which the illuminating-lamps have been re moved, and as such rifle appears when in condition for day-time use. Fig. 3 is a front or face view of my improved form of lamp for illuminating sights. Fig. 4 is a side view of such lamp in central vertical section. Fig. 5 shows in sectional side view and full exterior side view and taken apart the movable lens and light-shielded lamp used by me with adjustable or elevating rear sights, and Fig. 6 is a view of a lamp of somewhat modified form of construction provided with a shield that is removable.

Referring to the drawings, a and Z) are clamps or clutches, each of which has a glowlamp a and b, attached to it laterally and which may be disposed along the barrel of the gun or rifle, so as to throw a strong light upon the sight 0 and the adjustable rear sight (I from each of the glow-lamps as soon as the circuit is established. Both clasps and the carbons of the glow-lamps are connected by insulated conductor-wires of with a battery carried by the sh00ter,the return-conductor f being connected to any suitable switching de vice of known construction which is attached to athird clamp g or which may be attached to the clamp 12 used for lighting the adjustable elevating or rear sight, the press-button of this switch being operated by the shooter when holding the rifle inthe position of taking aim by the thumb of his left ,hand. In this form of construction of my invention, however, the conductor-wires are liable to interfere with the handling of the rifle or they may be injured when the rifle is carried through the woods or by similar obstacles on the way. These inconveniences are avoided in the form of construction shown in Fig. 2

of the drawings. In this modification the conductor-wires c j are embedded in the wooden casing of the gun-barrel and the dry battery used as a current-generator is interchangeably mounted in the butt'end of the rifle or gun. The switch is included in the returnconductorf in such a manner that its pressbutton h is just in the place where the rifle when in position for firing is grasped by the hand, so as to effect a closing of, the circuit while taking aim and to cause the illumination of the sights. The glow-lamps may he provided with clamps the same as in the construction shown in Fig. 1 of thedrawings, these clamps being placed upon the barrel and constituting the electric copnection with the carbons of the glow-lamps. The latter arrangement is not made use of inthe modification shown in Fig. 2, but small holes is in iihe wooden casing are used instead, which v serve for the reception of the well-known l0 plug-contacts and which, being in. electric,

v lation interfering withsteadyaiming, still the efficiency of the rifle, and in particular when used before the enemy, is impaired by the dazzling of the 'eye of the shooter by the glaring though small light of the glow-lamps and by the possibility of betraying the position of the rays shooter in this manner; yet it isnecessaryto throw as intense a light as possible upon the sightaud the adj ustabler'ear'sight, inasmuch as otherwise the outlines of thesepartsdo not present themselves which in turn would result in exact aiming. The inconvenience referred to is avoided in my invention by inclosing the glow-lamps by a casing 11, of opaque or light-subduing ma, terial, which surrounds the glow-lamp on all sides, Fig. 3, but for an opening I, directed toward the adjacent sight, so as to allow the projected through this opening to strong y light such sight. When so arranged, the-light is prevented from dazzling the eyesof the shooter and can be seen. by the enemy only at extremely close range. As a result I may use glow-lamps of very strong illuminating power, or in .the case of weaker lamps I may concentrate the light by arranging a lens m, Fig. 4, in the opening of the casing i, so as to throw a light of su iiicieut intensity upon the adjacent sight. In lighting the adjustable elevating or rear sight, however, it becomes necessary to change the direction of the rays of light with the adjustment and the changeof position of the sight. In. view of this the lighting device for this sight is also made'adjustable. In the preferred form of construction shown in Fig. 5 of the drawin s the casing or hood i of theglow-lamp is ma e adjustable, inasm uch as it is capable of rotatingin a horizontaland'vertical direction with relation to. tholamp. For this purpose the fitting of the glow-lamp is tightly covered by a dish-shaped bottom part 2', and on this is fitted the upper part of the covering, which constitutes the casing 11 proper and which is provided with spring-acting projections, so as the sights in the manner man divided, the parts each other by the curved spring 0, the said with suflicient exactness to enable it to be fitted over the dish-like bottom part t". By this meansthe cone of light may be adjusted with great facility and exactly correspondingto the position of the sight. To the rotatable upper part 'i an arm n is-attached, as shown in Fig. 50f the drawings, which extends across the stationary portion of the rear sight and into the path of the adjustable portion or sight-leaf, such adj ustable portion or sight-leaf on being raised striking against. the said arm n, which is moved thereby, giving a rotation in a vertical di'reclioh to the casing or he .11 i in consequence. By this means when I. Zensm or the' opening in'the casing has been properly arranged I am able toautomatical'ly direct the light exactly upon the sight-notch of the rear sight'at whatever height the same may be situated. There is-no necessity of such adjustment forthe front sight, and. in this case the more simple construction shown in Figs. 3 and 4 is .suflicient.

In order to facilitate the mounting of the hood or casing, t' upon the glow-lamp b and in order to'avoid the necessity of renewing the casing onhood on replacing a worn-out mp. two sections, 'asshown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. In, this modification the casingi is verbeing connected to spring pressing thetwo sections againsteach other and securing them in position upon the lamp, while an upward pull will besuflicient to removethe casing from the lamp, the

spring 0 acting as a handle.

'What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is j 1. An' electric glow-lam p for use in illuminating firearm-sights provided with an opaque movable covering carrying a lens for transmitting the light, substantially as shown and described. v v

2. The combination with a firearm, of a circuit of conductors having included therein a it is preferable to make the casing in,

battery and a switch, a front sight, and a glow-lam p also included in' the circuit located adjacent to the front sight adapted to cast a beam of light upon the front sight when the circuit is closed without illumination in any its other direction, an adjustable or elevating rear sight, a glow-lamp adjacent to the rear sight also included in the circuit, an opaque hood covering the lamp and adjustable there on, and a lens carried bythe hood for directiug a beam of light upon the rearsight, substantially as shown anddescribed. 3. The combination with a firearm, of a circuit of conductors having included thereina battery and a switch, a front sight, a glowlan p also included in the circuitlocated adjacent to the front sight adapted to cast a beam of light upon the front sight when the circuit is closed withoutillumination in any other directioman adjustable or elevating rear sight, a glow-lamp adjacent to the rear sight also included in the circuit, an opaque rected upon the sight at all times, substantially as shown and described.

4. The combination witha firearm, of a circuit of conductors having included therein a battery and a switch, a front sight, a glowlamp also included in the circuit located adjacent to the front sight adapted to cast a beam of light upon the front sight when the circuit is closed without illumination in any other direction, an adjustable or elevating rear sight, at glow-lamp adjacent to the rear sight also included in the circuit, an opaque hood covering the lamp and adjustable thereon, a lens carried by the hood for directinga beam of light upon the rear sight, and means i for moving the hood in actuating connection with the moving portion 'of the rear sight whereby the beam of light will fall upon the sight in all positions thereof, substantially as shown and described.

5. The combination with a firearm, of a circuit of conductors having included therein a battery and a switch, a front sight, a glowlamp also included in the circuit located adjacent to the front sight adapted to cast a beam of light upon the front sight when the circuit is closed, an adjustable or elevating rear sight, a glow-lamp adjacent to the rear sight also included in the circuit, an opaque movable hood inclosing the rear-sight lamp, and a light-transmitting lens carried by the movable hood for directing a beam of light upon the rear sight, substantially as shown and described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand in'presence of two witnesses.

HANS SCHLAEGEL.

Witnesses: g

' JOHAN Nos,

MAX ADLER.

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