Abstract:
A mount is used to mount an aiming device of the type for projecting a virtual image onto a target on a firearm such as a shotgun or a rifle. The firearm includes a back-sight or a rib and a front-sight at the free end of the barrel. The mount fixes the aiming device at the location provided for the front-sight.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
         [0001]    The instant application is based upon French Priority Patent Applications No. 01.13458 filed Oct. 18, 2001 and No. 02.0.10938 filed Sep. 4, 2002, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference thereto in its entirety, and the priority of which is hereby claimed under 35 U.S.C. §119.  
           [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to a mount for a sighting device on a firearm.  
           [0004]    The invention relates more particularly to a sighting device fixed to the barrel of the firearm and adapted to project a virtual image onto the target. Prior art sighting devices of this kind project a red dot onto the target, for example.  
           [0005]    2. Description of the Prior Art  
           [0006]    These sighting devices are normally disposed on the barrel at a particular distance from the eye of the marksman.  
           [0007]    However, all sighting devices are raised, which obliges the marksman to raise his head so that his eye is aligned with the sighting device, with the result that his cheek is no longer applied to the stock, making shooting inaccurate.  
           [0008]    Sighting devices are now offered that are light in weight and very small in size.  
           [0009]    The prior art includes French patent No. 2 481 435 which discloses a luminous front-sight consisting of a diode.  
           [0010]    The only advantage of this kind of sighting device is that in some circumstances the front-sight is more visible than other front-sights; however, this kind of sighting device has the disadvantage that, being attracted by the light, the eye is drawn to the front-sight instead of being fixed on the target.  
           [0011]    The invention proposes to provide a mount for shooting in the same way as when using a standard sighting device (back-sight and front-sight), equally well with a rifle, a double-barrel rifle or a shotgun when using a sighting device that projects a virtual image.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0012]    A mount for mounting an aiming device of the type for projecting a virtual image onto a target on a firearm such as a shotgun or a rifle which includes a back-sight or a rib and a front-sight at the free end of the barrel includes means for fixing the aiming device at the location provided for the front-sight.  
           [0013]    Thanks to this arrangement, the sighting device can be positioned so that the projected image lies on the back-sight/front-sight axis so that the marksman can fire with his cheek pressed against the stock and without having to raise his head. Moreover, parallax is eliminated and the field of view is much larger.  
           [0014]    Finally, shooting is much improved. To sight on a target, the eye must be aligned with the back-sight and the front-sight and, in a smooth bore shotgun, with the eye perfectly aligned with the axis of the rib; any misalignment leads to a large aiming error. Because the “red dot” device always projects a light spot on the same axis, if the eye is not perfectly aligned and if the position of the cheek against the stock is not correct, the target can nevertheless be hit.  
           [0015]    In one particular embodiment, the mount further includes a plate provided with means for fixing the aiming device to it and with means for fixing it to the location provided for the front-sight.  
           [0016]    In one particular variant, the mount further includes a block incorporating a dovetail groove, the front-sight is carried by a support having a key adapted to be inserted into the groove, and the aiming device is fixed to a plate provided with a key matching the groove.  
           [0017]    The mount preferably further includes means for selectively immobilizing the support of the front-sight or the plate supporting the aiming device in the groove.  
           [0018]    According to one feature of the invention the block incorporates holes for a screw and the keys of the support and the plate incorporate a notch adapted to coincide with the holes and to cooperate with the screw.  
           [0019]    According to another feature of the invention the screw is screwed into a nut and the nut and the screw have respective knurled heads.  
           [0020]    Thanks to this arrangement, the front-sight and the aiming device can easily be interchanged.  
           [0021]    In one embodiment, for a firearm in the form of a double-barrel rifle with two side-by-side barrels joined by a rib at the free end of which is a support for the front-sight, the plate is shaped to espouse the shape of the support and is extended by two flanges espousing the shape of the barrels and provided with tapped holes adapted to receive screws for fixing the aiming device, and the flanges are offset in the heightwise direction so that the axis of the virtual image coincides with the back-sight/front-sight aiming axis.  
           [0022]    The support can include a tapped hole and the plate can include a hole for a fixing screw adapted to be screwed into the tapped hole.  
           [0023]    In another embodiment the mount further comprises a bush adapted to be fixed to the free end of the barrel, a sleeve mounted to pivot on the bush and carrying the front-sight and the aiming device angularly offset from each other, and means for selectively locking the sleeve in either of two angular positions, in a first of which angular positions the aiming device is disposed so that the projected image is aligned with the back-sight or the rib and in the second of which angular positions the front-sight is aligned with the back-sight or the rib.  
           [0024]    According to one feature of the invention the bush has at one end a flange constituting an abutment for one end of the sleeve and the sleeve is retained at its other end by the ring fixed to the barrel.  
           [0025]    Finally, according to a last feature of the invention, the bush incorporates two blind holes offset by 180° from each other and connected by a groove and the sleeve incorporates a radial hole accommodating a ball spring-loaded by a spring so that it cooperates with the groove and selectively with the blind holes.  
           [0026]    The invention is described next in more detail and with reference to particular embodiments provided by way of example only and shown in the accompanying drawings. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0027]    [0027]FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a first mount.  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a front-sight which can be fitted to the first mount.  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 3 is a view in elevation showing the fixing of a plate supporting an aiming device.  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an embodiment which can be fitted to a double-barrel rifle with side-by-side barrels.  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 5 is a front view of a second mount.  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of a different embodiment of the invention.  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is a view of a mount in axial section.  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 8 is a view in section taken along the line  8 - 8  in FIG. 7.  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 9 is a view in section taken along the line  9 - 9  in FIG. 7  
         [0036]    [0036]FIGS. 10 and 11 are sectional views corresponding to FIG. 9 and showing different positions of the mount. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0037]    In the embodiment shown, the mount provides on the barrel of a rifle  1 , instead of a front-sight, an assembly comprising a block  2  having on its top face a dovetail groove  3  into which can be inserted a matching key  4  of a support  5  carrying a front-sight  6 .  
         [0038]    To immobilize the support  5  totally, the key  4  incorporates a notch  7  and the block  2  is provided with holes  8  through which is passed a screw  9  with a knurled head  10  which is screwed into a nut  12  which has a knurled head  11 .  
         [0039]    When the key  4  has been inserted into the groove  3 , the notch  7  is aligned with the holes  8  and the screw  9  is inserted into the holes.  
         [0040]    The aiming device  15  is of the kind that projects a virtual image, for example a red dot, and comprises a base  16  and two flanges  19  supporting a ring  17  for protecting a lens  18 .  
         [0041]    The aiming device is fixed to a plate  20  by screws  23  screwed into tapped holes  24  in said plate, which carries a dovetail section key  21  with a notch  22 .  
         [0042]    The front-sight  6  can therefore be very easily replaced by the aiming device fixed to the plate  20  mounted on the block  2  and immobilized by the screw  9 , which is inserted into the holes  8  and cooperates with the notch  22 .  
         [0043]    [0043]FIGS. 4 and 5 show a different embodiment of the invention which can be fitted to a double-barreled rifle with two side-by-side barrels  28  connected by a rib  31  to which is welded a front-sight support  29  in which there is a tapped hole  30 .  
         [0044]    The aiming device  15  is fixed by screws  23  screwed into tapped holes  36  in flanges  35  of a plate  32  incorporating a hole  34  for a screw  37  that is screwed into the tapped hole  30  to fix the plate.  
         [0045]    As can be seen in FIGS. 4 and 5, the plate  32  incorporates a step  33  so that it can espouse the shape of the support  29  and the flanges  35  are offset in the heightwise direction so that the red dot projected is at substantially the same height as the front-sight that has been removed.  
         [0046]    Clearly, in either of the above mounts, the aiming device is substituted for the front-sight and the axis of the red dot substantially coincides with the back-sight/front-sight axis.  
         [0047]    The mount shown in FIGS.  1  to  3  can also be used on double-barreled rifles with side-by-side or vertically superposed barrels, by providing in the support  29  a dovetail groove for selectively fitting either the support  20  or the support  5 .  
         [0048]    [0048]FIG. 6 shows the free end  40  of the barrel of a rifle to which is fixed a bush terminating at one end in a flange  42 . The bush can be fixed by any suitable means, such as one or more set screws  43  screwed into a tapped hole  44  in the flange  42 .  
         [0049]    The bush  41  incorporates a groove  47  subtending an angle of 180° and ending in two blind holes  48  and  49 .  
         [0050]    Over the bush  41  is engaged a sleeve  50  fastened to a plate  51  with tapped holes  52  intended to receive fixing screws  53  passing through holes  58  in a plate  54  carrying an aiming device  55  which is of the “red dot” type and includes a lens  56  protected by a frame  57 .  
         [0051]    The sleeve  50  incorporates a radial hole  59  housing a ball  62  spring-loaded by a spring  61  retained by the plate  54 .  
         [0052]    A support  64  for a front-sight  66  is fixed to the sleeve  50 , the support  64  incorporating holes  65  through which pass screws  63  screwed into tapped holes  57  in the sleeve  50 .  
         [0053]    The aiming device  55  and the front-sight  66  are offset by 180°.  
         [0054]    The assembly is retained by a ring  70  which is pressed against the free end of the bush  41  and fixed to the barrel  40 , for example by one or more set screws  72  screwed into a tapped hole  71 .  
         [0055]    As can be seen in the various figures, the ball  62  cooperates with the groove  47 , and the sleeve  50  can turn on the bush  41  and be locked in either of two angular positions offset by 180°. In a first position (see FIG. 9) the ball  62  cooperates with the blind hole  48  and in this case the aiming device  55  is situated so that the red dot projected is on the axis of the back-sight. In the second position (see FIG. 11), obtained by turning the sleeve  50  in the direction of the arrow f (FIG. 10), the ball  62  locates in the blind hole  49 , with the aiming device  55  under the barrel  40  and the front-sight  66  aligned with the back-sight.  
         [0056]    Clearly this arrangement is very practical because either the front-sight or the aiming device can be used, by virtue of a simple half-turn rotation.  
         [0057]    Of course, the invention is not limited to the embodiments described and shown. Many modifications of detail can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention.