Abstract:
An aiming telescope includes an aiming member made of clear glass which is vapor coated with a small amount of reflective film in a conventional aiming pattern. A lamp or similar illumination device projects light rays onto the aiming film so as to obtain a reflected aiming point in the field of view of the aiming telescope.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to an aiming telescope to be used in conjunction with a variety of firearms, and, more particularly an aiming telescope that may be used under all lighting conditions. 
     Avid sportsmen hunt during all hours of the day and night. However, the use of conventional aiming telescopes has been impractical during times of low ambient light, such as the evening and early morning hours, as well as during daylight hours in heavily wooded or shaded areas. During these periods of relative darkness, the visual field through the aiming telescope is too dark to illuminate the reticule and, therefore, the reticule cannot be distinctly recognized. Prior art attempts to use a light source to illuminate the reticule have led to unacceptably complicated and expensive constructions. 
     OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to improve an aiming telescope by illuminating the reticule. 
     Another object of the invention is an aiming telescope of simple and inexpensive construction which can be used in environments of low ambient light. 
     These and other objects are accomplished by an aiming telescope including an ocular lens system for providing a field of view, the telescope comprising means for providing an aiming pattern in the field of view and means for illuminating the aiming pattern to render the aiming pattern visible within the field of view regardless of the luminance level of ambient light. 
     The objects and advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by the means of the instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims. The accompanying drawings which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section depicting the aiming telescope according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a cylindrical mass of glass material from which glass block elements used in the aiming telescope of FIG. 1, may be manufactured; 
     FIG. 3 is a front view of the aiming telescope of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged view of the reticule illuminating portion of the aiming telescope of FIG. 1. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     According to the features of the present invention, a light ray emitted from a contained light source is successively projected through frosted glass, a colored filter, such as a red filter, and a glass block onto a strip of reflective film shaped in any conventional aiming pattern. The light ray thus projected is reflected in the direction of the viewer and guided by an ocular lens system into the viewer&#39;s eye. As a result, regardless of the luminance level of ambient light, the aiming pattern formed by the reflective film is seen as a mark the color of the filter. 
     Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiment, an example of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     Referring now to the drawings, particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an aiming telescope 1 of a certain magnification comprising an objective lens system 2 on the subject side of the telescope 1, an ocular lens system 3 on the user side of the telescope, and an aiming adjustment mechanism 4. 
     The aiming adjustment mechanism 4 preferably comprises an optical system including two adjustment lens 4A as well as a knob 4B for aiming adjustment which allows the adjustment lens 4A to be adjustably positioned relative to a pair of glass blocks 5 having a reticle 7. The position of optical axis is varied by laterally positioning the adjustment lens 4A as a pivotable unit. The telescope further includes means for providing an aiming pattern in the field of view and means for illuminating the aiming pattern to render the aiming pattern visible within the field of view regardless of the luminance level of ambient light. 
     As embodied herein, the providing means comprises a glass block 5 consisting of two glass members or prisms 5A, and 5B and having a reflective aiming film 7 formed on a face of the glass block 5B at a position within the field of view of the telescope. 
     The initial step in constructing the glass block 5 is the production of the two glass members 5A, 5B of substantially clear glass with complementary faces 6A, 6B cut at an angle of 45°. These glass members 5A, 5B may, for example, be obtained from a cylindrical mass cut or sliced as shown in phantom in FIG. 2. Following production, the glass members 5A, 5B are joined together to form the glass block 5. A suitable adhesive may be used to cement the glass pieces 5A and 5B together at their complementary faces 6A and 6B, respectively. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, it will be noted that the face 6A of the glass piece 5A and the face 6B of the glass piece 5B are polished. The face 6B is also coated or provided with a reflective film 7 substantially at its center point in the shape of a suitable aiming pattern. The film 7 may be provided by vapor desposition. The aiming pattern serves as the aiming point for shooting and conventionally takes the shape of either a single dot, a cross, a Y, an X, or a pair of horizontally juxtaposed line segments with a dot interposed at the point where the two lines cross. 
     One embodiment of the aiming pattern formed by the reflective film 7 is shown in FIG. 3 to be in the form of a single dot having a diameter of approximately 0.15 mm to 0.20 mm. 
     The top surface 5C of the glass member 5A is cut horizontally with respect to the vertical axis. The top surface 5C is polished and covered with a colored filter 12, such as red. A frosted glass piece 14 is applied on top of the colored filter 12. 
     As embodied herein, the illuminating means comprises a light source 8, such as a small, battery-powered lamp, which emits light rays that are transmitted through the frosted glass piece 14, the filter 12, and the glass block 5A and projected onto the reflective aiming film 7 of glass member 5B. The light rays projected onto the reflective film 7 are guided by the ocular lens system 3 into the eye 9 and cause a colored aiming pattern to be visible within the field of view. 
     During daylight hours, use of the light source 8 is unnecessary and the reflective film 7 appears to the eye as a dark mark which also serves as an aiming point. 
     The light source 8 is not limited to a conventional lamp, but may be replaced by any suitable equivalent such as a luminous diode. 
     The vertical surface 5E of glass member 5B and the vertical surface 5D of glass member 5A are spaced apart at a predetermined distance such that when dust or dirt is deposited on the surfaces 5D and 5E, such dust or dirt will not be visible from the ocular lens system 3. 
     An annular spacer 10 fixes the aiming member 5 at a predetermined position. A dust-proof glass plate 11 is provided adjacent the annular spacer 10. Finally, a magnifying lens 13 is inserted downstream between the optical system 4A and the objective lens system 2 as depicted in FIG. 1. 
     The invention has been shown and described with reference to a specific embodiment, however, it should be noted that the invention is in no way limited to the details of the illustrated structures; changes and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.