Abstract:
A rotatable and retractable rear gun sight is disclosed. The rear gun sight is coupled to a body of a gun. Three different apertures are provided for rear sight viewing of targets of three different distances. The apertures can be rotated out of view or into use depending on the estimated target distance. The rear gun sight can also be flipped down.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/854,327 filed 25 Oct. 2006. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Guns are often equipped with a front sight and a rear sight to provide a two-point visual reference for locating an intended target. 
   A user views the target through the rear sight, closest to the user&#39;s eye, and then aligns the front sight, typically a pin, on the target. 
   The rear sight is sometimes equipped as a “peep sight,” or a circular structure with a void space in the middle for referencing and framing the front site. With the increasing use and popularity of long-range firearms such as rifles, the use and popularity of scope sights have likewise increased. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention relates to a rotatable and retractable rear gun sight for attachment to a gun. The rear gun sight member is rotatable to expose one of two or more apertures provided on the rotatable rear sight member. The different apertures can be used for different estimated target distances, from nearer to farther. Because the plurality of apertures are spaced further apart from their axis of rotation, a longer distance from the axis of rotation will result in a farther target distance, because aligning the aperture and the front sight will result in raising the tip of the gun barrel. 
   A retractable frame member is provided, which is rotatable about a second axis of rotation. The frame member retracts from a first, generally vertical shooting position to a second, generally horizontal non-shooting position. This member is coupled to the body of a gun. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a prior art rear sight, attached to a body of a gun, and a front sight; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of a rotatable and retractable rear gun sight of the present invention; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a gun sight aperture of the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a front view of the gun sight aperture of the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a back view of the gun sight aperture of the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a side view, with portions broken away, of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of a sight coupling for carrying the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight of the present invention on a gun; 
       FIG. 8  is a front view of a gun sight frame of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a front view of a sight base component of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight; 
       FIG. 10  is a side view of a sight base component of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight; 
       FIG. 11  is a front view of a sight frame member component of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight; 
       FIG. 12  is a side view of a sight frame member component of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   Although the disclosure hereof is detailed and exact to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, the physical embodiments herein disclosed merely exemplify the invention which may be embodied in other specific structures. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a prior art rear sight is shown attached to a body of a gun. A front sight is shown to provide a two-point, and considering the target, a three-point frame of reference so that the shooter can align the gun with the intended target. In use, a user looks through the rear sight and locates the front sight on the target. This creates a two-point alignment system, and when the target is located, both horizontal and vertical alignment is intended. The frame serves to hold the vertical and horizontal alignment bars, as well as to provide a field of view reference, so that the user can visually acquire the target easier. 
   As is shown in  FIG. 1 , the prior art often uses a crosshairs type stadia alignment system, with vertical and horizontal reference bars framing the peep hole. A frame further defines the field of view and holds the vertical and horizontal reference bars. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 2 , a front view of a rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  of the present invention is shown. A frame  30  carries a rotating gun sight aperture  20 , and bar  31 , and defines a field of view through the void space or window of the frame. A rotating gun sight aperture  20  with peep hole  24  further defines the field of view on the intended target, along with horizontal reference bar  28  carried by the aperture  20 . The front sight  22  is not attached to the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  but is instead carried closer to the gun barrel as shown in the prior art of  FIG. 1 . 
   A dial  50  is carried by frame member  40 , the dial in operative association to rotate the aperture  20  to one of a predetermined number of, preferably three, aperture members  20   a ,  20   b , and  20   c  as will be described later. 
   A windage dial  60  is provided for adjusting the rear gun sight  10  left and right due to wind. Windage refers to the side-to-side adjustment of a rifle&#39;s sight, used to change the horizontal component of the aiming point. The up-down adjustment for the vertical component is the elevation. 
   Spring loading ball detents  70  are provided for retracting the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  into a horizontal position, and vice-versa into the shooting position. 
   A sight base  80  is providing for holding the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  coupled to the gun, as will be described later. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 3-5 , the rotating gun sight aperture  20  of the present invention is shown. As can be seen, a predetermined number of, preferably three, aperture members  20   a ,  20   b , and  20   c  are provided. In this manner, a user can rotate the rotating gun sight aperture  20  to correspond with three different distances. In the embodiment shown, distance indicia  26  can be provided on the rotating gun sight aperture  20  for ease of reference. Additional sets of apertures  20  can be interchanged with the single set  20  shown, for greater or lesser distances. 
   It will be appreciated that the shorter the distance from the peep  24  to the center  34  of the rotating gun sight aperture  20 , the shorter the target distance represented, as the selected peep  24  of aperture members  20   a ,  20   b , and  20   c  will be at the 12 o′ clock position during shooting. 
   Referring now specifically to  FIGS. 5 and 6 , a back view of the gun sight aperture  20  of the present invention is shown. Slots  32  are provided for engagement with spring loaded ball detents  36  as will be described with reference to  FIG. 6 , a side view of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 6 , it will be seen that the slots  32  on the rotating gun sight aperture  20  are engaged by spring loaded ball detents  36 . When a user engages the dial  50 , the user can exert enough pressure on the springs of the spring loaded ball detents  36  to allow rotation of the gun sight aperture  20  through to the selected aperture  20   a ,  20   b , or  20   c . Once the appropriate selected channel  32  is engaged by the spring loaded ball detents  36 , the spring loaded ball detents  36  click into the channel  32 . 
   Still referring to  FIG. 6 , the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  similarly can be retracted by tilting downward on frame  30 , dislodging ball detents  70  from their associated void spaces on the sight base  80 . This engagement is also shown on  FIG. 9 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7 , a top view of a sight coupling  110  for carrying the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  is shown. Site base  80  is coupled to the sight coupling  110  (not shown), and sight coupling  110  is in turn coupled to the gun (not shown), such as is shown with reference to the prior art of  FIG. 1 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a front view of the gun sight frame  30  is shown. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 9-10 , front and side views of the sight base  80  of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  are shown, with portions broken away. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 11-12 , front and side views of the sight frame member  30  component of the rotatable and retractable rear gun sight  10  are shown. If the user wishes to remove the apertures  20  either for placing different apertures into the sight  10 , or for using the apertures  20  on a different gun, the user can remove sight frame member  40  and remove apertures  20 . 
   The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described. While the preferred embodiment has been described, the details may be changed without departing from the invention, which is defined by the claims.