Patent Publication Number: US-11047647-B2

Title: Firearm and method for improving accuracy

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO PRIOR APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a U.S. National Phase application under 35 U.S.C. § 371 of International Application No. PCT/EP2017/065267, filed on Jun. 21, 2017 and which claims benefit to German Patent Application No. 10 2016 113 262.4, filed on Jul. 19, 2016. The International Application was published in German on Jan. 25, 2018 as WO 2018/015096 A1 under PCT Article 21(2). 
     FIELD 
     The present invention relates to a firearm, in particular to a hunting rifle as used in battue hunting, which is equipped with an aiming or sighting device having a sight line, and to a method for improving the accuracy that can be achieved using a firearm when firing at a target moving in a horizontal direction, a sight line being aimed at the target. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In cases of targets moving with a motion component in a horizontal direction and transversely to the firing direction, the point at which the sight line of a sighting device is aimed must lead the target in order to compensate for the transverse movement thereof during the flight time of a bullet fired by the firearm. “Firearm” in particular refers to hunting rifles used, for example, in battue hunting in which shots are fired at game moving with a travelling component transversely to the firing direction. 
     The size of the lead is substantially dependent on the following three parameters: 
     a) Target&#39;s travelling velocity transversely to the firing direction, 
     b) Distance from the firearm to the target, and 
     c) Velocity of the bullet. 
     In a battue hunt, for example, it is often difficult to calculate the lead in practice since only the velocity of the bullet is known before firing a shot, but not the distance from the firearm or shooter to the target or the velocity at which the target (in this case the game) is moving, e.g., transversely to the firing direction, before the shot is fired. Distances of, for example, between 40 and 150 m between the game at which the shot is fired and the shooter or firearm, and velocities of, for example, between 5 km/h and 45 km/h of the game transversely to the firing direction are absolutely conceivable. 
     SUMMARY 
     An aspect of the present invention is to develop a firearm comprising a sighting device having a sight line so that, by using simple technical means, the accuracy when firing at a target moving with a motion component in a horizontal direction and transversely to the firing direction is improved, and also to provide a corresponding method therefor. 
     In an embodiment, the present invention provides a firearm which includes a sighting device comprising a sight line and a first device which is configured to detect a movement of the firearm in a horizontal plane, and a second device configured to alter a course of the sight line depending on the movement detected by the first device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described in greater detail below on the basis of embodiments and of the drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a purely schematic partial view of a firearm equipped with a sighting device when firing at a stationary target, in a view perpendicular to the firing direction; 
         FIG. 2  shows the position of the point of aim when looking through the telescopic sight; 
         FIG. 3  shows a view corresponding to  FIG. 1  when the target is moving from right to left in accordance with the drawing; 
         FIG. 4  shows the position of the point of aim when looking through the telescopic sight; 
         FIG. 5  shows a view corresponding to  FIG. 1  of a second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  shows the position of the point of aim when looking through the telescopic sight; 
         FIG. 7  shows the position of the point of aim or a reticle when looking through the telescopic sight; 
         FIG. 8  shows a view corresponding to  FIG. 3  showing a target moving from right to left in accordance with the drawing; 
         FIG. 9  shows a frontal sectional view through a design according to the present invention of the telescopic sight from  FIGS. 5 and 8 ; 
         FIG. 10  shows a lateral sectional view through a design according to the present invention of a further sighting device; and 
         FIG. 11  shows a detail of a frontal view of the sighting device from  FIG. 10 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The firearm according to the present invention comprising a sighting device having a sight line comprises a device for detecting a movement of the firearm in a horizontal plane, in particular a device for detecting a pivot movement of the firearm in the horizontal plane. “Horizontal plane” should be understood as the plane in which the shooter must pivot the firearm in order to keep the sight line on a target, for example, passing game, moving with a motion component transversely to the firing direction. To prevent the shooter from having to select an aim point in front of the game, for example, based on the movement direction thereof despite the motion component of the game, and to allow the shooter to instead keep the sight line aimed at the game, the present invention provides a device for altering the course of the sight line relative to the firing direction depending on the movement detected via the device for detecting the movement of the firearm. 
     For this purpose, the device for altering the course of the sight line can, for example, be designed so that, when a movement of the firearm in the horizontal plane is detected, the course of the sight line is altered by a predetermined angular amount counter to the movement direction. The shooter can, for example, preset this angular amount, for example, in a range of 1.2° to 1.5°, for example, in a range of 0.5° to 2.5°, for example, in a range of 0° to 5.0°. It has surprisingly been found that, in many battue hunting situations, adjusting the angular amount between 1.2° and 1.5° is suitable for significantly increasing accuracy even though the velocity at which game passes the shooter during a battue hunt and the distance from the firearm to the game when the shot is fired can vary greatly, as mentioned above. The inventor has found that an angular amount from this angular range is nonetheless capable of increasing accuracy, possibly due to the fact that in most cases the velocity of the motion components of the game transversely to the firing direction in reality varies between 5 km/h and 10 km/h. 
     The sighting device can comprise a telescopic sight. 
     The sighting device, which can, for example, comprise a telescopic sight, can be mounted, for example, to pivot about a pivot axis extending approximately perpendicularly to the sight line. The device for altering the course of the sight line can, for example, be operatively connected to the telescopic sight so that the telescopic sight can be pivoted about the pivot axis by the device. 
     The device for altering the course of the sight line can additionally or alternatively pivot the course of the line about the pivot axis relative to the sighting device. 
     If the sighting device is a telescopic sight, the device for altering the course of the sight line can be arranged between an objective lens and an ocular lens of the telescopic sight and can comprise an optical member that determines the course of the sight line. In other words, the course of the sight line can be altered by pivoting the sighting device relative to firing direction about a pivot axis extending approximately perpendicularly to the sight line and/or by altering the course of the sight line relative to the sighting device. 
     The device for altering the course of the sight line can, for example, comprise an optical member, in particular a mirror, a projection surface or a light source, that determines the course of the sight line. The sight line can thereby be altered relatively simply by shifting the optical member. For example, by shifting a mirror arranged in or on the sighting device or a projection surface, a reticle, graticule or marker point, e.g., a light spot, that is displayed in a field of vision or field of view of the sighting device and determines the sight line can be displaced sideways by a preset distance, i.e., a fixed distance or one having a fixed value, from a point position that coincides to the firing direction or firing line, so that the sight line deviates from the firing line at a predefined angle. The marker point can also be displaced by a preset distance relative to the point position that coincides with the firing line by shifting a light source, for example, a light source generating the marker point. The light source can, for example, be shifted by rotating the light source, by partially dimming the light source, or via a plurality of light sources that can be actuated independently of one another. The light source can, for example, be formed as a light-emitting diode. 
     The device for altering the course of the sight line can, for example, comprise an electrically operable servo-drive or servomotor. The course of the sight line can thus be altered particularly simply automatically in a motor-driven manner. The servomotor can, for example, be designed having a preset, i.e., a fixed, angular working range. The angular working range thus specifies the rotational working range of the servomotor and can, for example, be defined to actuate a predetermined first sight line, for example, a sight line oriented to the left in the field of view, and a predetermined second sight line, for example, a sight line oriented to the right in the field of view. The sighting device can have an energy store, e.g., a battery pack, to operate the servomotor. 
     To alter the course of the sight line, the servo-drive or servomotor can, for example, be operatively connected to an adjustment device arranged on the sighting device for setting an optical marker or indication that determines the course of the sight line, and the adjustment device can be shifted in a motor-driven manner via the servomotor. The automatic alteration of the course of the sight line can thus be used, for example, on any commercially available telescopic sight or target optics. In telescopic sights of this kind, the marker or indication can be designed as a reticle, crosshair or aiming dot, which can usually be set by at least one adjustment device, e.g., an adjusting screw. The adjustment device in this case is mostly arranged on the side of a sighting device and can in most cases influence the position of the marker or indication in the horizontal and/or vertical direction via a spring exerting a counterforce. The adjustment is generally carried out when manually calibrating the sighting device in accordance with the firing direction of the weapon, for example, by rotating the adjusting screw. In an advantageous embodiment, the servomotor can, for example, be mounted on the adjustment device, for example, by a latch connection thereto, or can be locked on the sighting device and can shift the adjustment device according to an actuation. The arrangement of the servomotor can therefore, for example, cause a rotation of the adjusting screw and thus a displacement of the marker or indication in the field of vision or field of view of the sighting device, as well as displacement of the sight line. 
     The device for altering the course of the sight line can, for example, comprise at least one light source capable of producing or generating, within a field of vision of the sighting device, at least two light spots that can be preset, for example, during a calibration, the at least two light spots being arranged so as to be stationary during use of the weapon, substantially horizontally next to one another, to be spaced apart from one another, and to each determine a course of the sight line, the light source being actuable depending on the movement detected by the device for detecting the movement of the firearm so that only a light spot previously assigned to the particular detected movement direction is generated and the other light spots are not illuminated or are not generated. In other words, the device for altering the course of the sight line comprises at least two stationary light spots that can be displayed independently of one another within a field of vision of the sighting device by at least one light source, each of which determine a course of the sight line and each of which can be actuated to light up depending on the detected movement direction. The sight line can therefore be altered particularly simply merely by actuating either a light source to illuminate a predefined light spot or a reflection element for reflecting a light beam producing the light spot. A design of this kind can, for example, be used for sighting devices formed as compact reflex sights. The light spot need not necessarily be in the form of a spot, but can also take any shape, for example a reticle, crosshair or a dot surrounded by a circle. The light spot can also be displayed in white, black or any other color. A light spot arranged in the center in the firing direction can, for example, have a different color from a light spot arranged elsewhere than in the firing direction. The expression “can be displayed” in the present case should be understood to mean an indication or illumination in the field of vision; for example, a light beam hitting a transparent projection surface, such as a glass surface or a lens, can cause the formation of a light spot on the projection surface. A total of three light spots, i.e., a first light spot arranged in the firing line, a second light spot displaced to the left of the firing line, and a third light spot displaced to the right of the firing line, can advantageously be generated independently of one another on one projection surface located within the field of vision of the sighting device; in all cases, only one of the light spots is generated or illuminated and the other light spots are not generated or illuminated. The light spots can, for example, be arranged substantially horizontally next to one another and can each be at a preset, in particular a fixed, distance from one another or have a fixed position. The first and second light spot can, for example, be at the same distance from one another as the second and third light spot. Depending on the detection of movement of the firearm, therefore, the second light spot or third light spot can be generated or illuminated, whereas the two other light spots remain unilluminated. A shooter can as a result make the sight line defined by the generated light spot coincide with or overlap a target, and a lead in front of a moving target can automatically be taken into account due to the firing direction now deviating from the sight line. If the firearm is pivoted from right to left, for example, as may occur if the target moves from right to left, the third light spot, which is displaced to the right, is generated or illuminated; accordingly, if the firearm is pivoted from left to right, the second light spot, which is displaced to the left, is generated. The sighting device can have an energy store such as a battery pack to operate the at least one light source. 
     A plurality of separate light sources each capable of generating a light source can, for example, be arranged in the sighting device. In other words, each light spot can be generated via a separate light source. The sight line can thus be altered solely by electronic actuation, in particular without two components moving relative to one another and in particular without any motor-driven movement, The sighting device is thereby particularly cost-effective to produce, particularly sturdy, and durable, and can be operated in a particularly low-energy manner. An integrated circuit can be provided to actuate any individual light source. The sight line can thus be altered particularly simply, specifically solely by electrically actuating any individual light source. 
     The device for detecting the movement of the firearm can comprise an electromechanical or electronic movement sensor of a known design. 
     In the method according to the present invention for improving the accuracy that can be achieved using the firearm when firing at a target that is moving transversely to the firing direction with a horizontal motion component, a sight line being aimed at the target, the course of the sight line is altered by a presettable angular amount counter to the movement direction if the firearm is moved in a horizontal plane, in particular is pivoted in a horizontal plane. 
     The angular amount can, for example, be preset in a range of 1.2° to 1.5°, for example, in a range of 0.5° to 2.5°, for example, in a range of 0° to 5.0°. 
     The present invention will be explained further below based on the drawings which illustrate three embodiments in a purely schematic manner. 
     In a first embodiment of the present invention explained on the basis of  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a firearm  100 , of which only a part of a barrel  1  is shown purely schematically, comprises a sighting device  2  designed as a telescopic sight  3 . The sighting device  2  defines a sight line  4 , which is illustrated as a dash-dot line in  FIG. 1 . The device is aimed at a target  5 , which in  FIG. 1  is immovable transversely to the firing direction  6 , which is shown as a solid line. To hit the target  5 , which is immovable transversely to the firing direction  6 , the sight line  4  and the firing direction  6  must overlap in the view according to  FIG. 1 . If other influencing variables that cause deviations between the sight line  4  and the firing direction  6 , for example, the earth&#39;s gravity and wind, are disregarded, a point of aim  7 , i.e., the point at which the sight line  4  hits the target  5 , appears when viewed through the telescopic sight  3  in the center of a reticle  8  in the telescopic sight  3  image shown schematically in  FIG. 2 . 
     If, as shown purely schematically in  FIG. 3 , the target  5  now moves at a velocity V from right to left in accordance with the plane of the drawing, this means that the target  5  moves from the position S0 to position S1 in the period between the shot being fired and the bullet fired hitting the target  5 . Whereas the target  5  appears at position S0 when viewed through the telescopic sight  3  in the direction of the sight line  4  when the shot is fired, the firing direction  6  must deviate from the sight line  4  in the direction of the velocity V by an angle α so that the bullet hits the target  5  at position S1. To increase accuracy, in the embodiment of the firearm according to the present invention shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the sighting device  2  is mounted to the barrel  1  so as to be pivotable about an axis S extending approximately perpendicularly to the sight line  4 . In addition, a device (not shown in the drawings) for altering the course of the sight line  4  is provided and designed so that, when a movement of the firearm in a horizontal plane is detected (in a direction intended to be symbolized by the arrow P), in particular when a pivot movement about which a shooter moves the firearm when following the moving target  5  with the sight line  4  is detected, the aiming device  2  is pivoted about the axis S so far that the firing direction  6  forms a predetermined angle α relative to the sight line  4 . The device for altering the course of the sight line  4  is designed so that the shooter can preset the angle α. In battue hunting, it should be suitable for the firing direction  6  to be ahead of the sight line  4  in the movement direction of the target  5  by an angular value from the range of 1.2° to 1.5° in order for the bullet to strike, at position S1, the target  5  travelling with a motion component transversely to the firing line when the target  5  is aimed at in position S0 using the sight line  4 . 
     A second embodiment of the present invention will now be explained with reference to  FIGS. 5 to 8 . This second embodiment comprises a firearm  200  having a barrel  101  and a sighting device  102 , which again is designed as a telescopic sight  103 . Unlike the first embodiment, the sighting device  102  in the second embodiment cannot pivot about an axis extending perpendicularly to the sight line  104  of the sighting device  102 , but in this respect is rather arranged immovably relative to the barrel  101 . A device (not shown in the drawings) for detecting a movement of the firearm  200  in a horizontal plane, in particular for detecting a pivot movement P of the firearm  200  in a horizontal plane, as well as a device for altering the course of the sight line  104  depending on the movement relative to the firing direction  106  as detected by the device for detecting the movement of the firearm  200 , are again provided. As is evident from comparing  FIG. 5 , which shows the situation for a stationary target  105  as in  FIG. 1 , with  FIG. 8 , which shows the situation for a target  105  moving from right to left in accordance with the drawing at the velocity V, as in  FIG. 3 , the device (not shown in the drawings) for altering the course of the sight line  104  causes the line to be moved within the telescopic sight  103  by an angle α relative to the firing direction  106  in order to achieve the same effect as pivoting the telescopic sight  103  about the axis S in the first embodiment. For this purpose, the device for altering the course of the sight line  104  within the telescopic sight  103  can be arranged between the ocular lens  109  and the objective lens  110 , and can comprise an optical member that determines the course of the sight line  104  and is operatively connected to the device or detecting a pivot movement of the firearm in a horizontal plane. In this embodiment, and as shown schematically in  FIG. 7 , the point of aim  107  travels to the right relative to the reticle  108  of the telescopic sight  103 . 
     In order to increase the accuracy for a moving target  105  in this embodiment, the point at which the firearm is aimed should be selected so that the point of aim  107  is located on the target  105  during the pivot movement in the direction of the arrow P. Alternatively, the entire reticle  108  is moved and the point of aim  107  remains in the center of the reticle  108 . This variant is shown in dashed lines in  FIG. 7 . 
     It goes without saying that it is also part of the present invention to pivot both the sight line  104  within the telescopic sight  103  and the telescopic sight  103  itself about the axis S relative to the firing direction  106  when a pivot movement of the firearm in a horizontal plane is detected. This is particularly expedient, for example, when the sight line  104  is supposed to be moved relative to the firing line by a relatively large angle α that cannot be achieved solely by altering the course of the sight line  104  within the telescopic sight. 
       FIG. 9  shows an embodiment of the sighting device  102  from  FIGS. 5 and 8 , designed as a telescopic sight  103 , in a frontal sectional view. The telescopic sight  103  is designed as a commercially available telescopic sight  103  and comprises an adjustment device  22  arranged in the longitudinal extension between an ocular lens and an objective lens. The adjustment device  22  is used to set the reticle  108 , for example, when calibrating the weapon. To aid clarity, in this case only the adjustment device  22  arranged in the horizontal plane is shown; in principle, a telescopic sight  103  also comprises another adjustment device (which is not shown in this case) in the vertical plane. The adjustment device  22  comprises an adjusting screw  22   a  that is rotatably mounted on a housing of the telescopic sight  103  and abuts a component having the reticle  108  (such as a lens or a glass optics) via an end face arranged within the telescopic sight  103 . A spring element  22   b  for preloading the glass optics counter to the adjusting screw  22   a  is arranged on a side of the glass optics opposite the adjusting screw  22   a . The glass optics is thus movably preloaded and held between the spring element  22   b  and the adjusting screw  22   a  counter to the spring force of the spring element  22   b . When the adjusting screw  22   a  is rotated, the reticle  108  can thus be displaced in the horizontal plane. 
     To automatically alter the sight line  104  for a moving target  105 , as shown, for example, in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the sighting device  102  has a device  41  that alters the sight line  104  by changing the position of the reticle  108  depending on the movement P detected by a device (not shown in the drawings) for detecting the movement of the firearm  200 . For this purpose, the device  41  comprises a servo-drive  42 , in particular an electrical servomotor  42 , operatively connected to the adjusting screw  22   a  via a shaft. The adjusting screw  22   a  can thereby be rotated in a motor-driven manner by the servomotor  42  over a predetermined, in particular fixed, range, or a range having a fixed value, whereby the reticle  108  is moved in the horizontal plane. As in the previous examples, the field of view can thus be moved sideways in the target  105  or striking plane by a particular value, for example by 1 m, so that the shooter aiming at the target  105  automatically gives the weapon a lead. The device  41  can, for example, be fastened to the housing of the telescopic sight  103  by a latch connection (not shown in more detail). A battery pack (which is not shown in the drawings) can, for example, be arranged on the sighting device  102  to power the servo-drive  42 . 
       FIG. 10  is a lateral sectional view through an embodiment of a further sighting device  102 . The sighting device  102  is formed substantially as a compact reflex sight, which can, for example, be used in handguns. The sighting device  102  in this case is fastened via a clamping apparatus (not shown in more detail) to a rail (not shown in more detail in this case), for example, a dovetail rail, e.g., a Weaver or Picatinny rail, so as to be able to be shifted in the longitudinal direction above a weapon barrel  101 . The sighting device  102  substantially comprises a projection surface  82  which can be formed as a glass optics, for example, a transparent disc or lens, a light source  23 , for example, a light-emitting diode, and an optical member or reflection element  43 , for example, a mirror. A light beam emitted by the light source  23  substantially counter to a firing direction  106  and shown in this case by a line having arrows is reflected on the reflection element  43  substantially in the direction of the firing direction  106 , and causes the formation of a light spot  21  when it strikes the projection surface  82  arranged in a field of vision  81  of the shooter. The light spot  21  formed on the projection surface  82  need not necessarily be in the shape of a dot, but can rather be provided as any shape via an appropriate filtering, for example, as a minimized reticle, a crosshair, or as a dot surrounded by a ring. The position of each light spot  21  on the projection surface  82  can be preset during a calibration process, but is stationary, in particular does not change, when the firearm  200  and the device  41  are used when hunting. 
     When the firearm  200  comprising the device  41  is used when hunting, in order to automatically adapt the sight line  104  to a hunting situation such as a moving target  105 , the light spot  21  can be displaced by shifting the reflection element  43  in a horizontal plane. According to the present invention, this is done depending on a movement P of the firearm  200 , which in this case can be detected by device  11 . The device  11  can be designed, for example, as an electromechanical or electronic movement sensor. The reflection element  43  is in this case shifted automatically by the device  41 , in particular by an electric servomotor  42 . As a result, as soon as the device  11  detects movement P of the firearm  200 , in particular a pivoting of the firearm  200  in the horizontal plane, an actuation signal is sent to the servomotor  42 , and then the reflection element  43  is shifted by a predefined angle. 
     In an alternative embodiment of the sighting device  102 , the reflection element  43  can be arranged in a stationary manner and the light beam can be altered directly either by or at the light source  23 , for example, by rotating the light source  23  or dimming a portion of the light source  23 . 
     In another alternative embodiment of the sighting device  102 , the reflection element  43  can also be stationary and at least two separate light sources  23  can be arranged for generating one light spot  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c  each. A servomotor  42  is not required in this embodiment and no movably arranged components exist so that the sighting device  102  is particularly sturdy and particularly cost-effective to produce. 
       FIG. 11  shows a detail of a front view of the sighting device  102  according to  FIG. 10 , specifically a detail of a viewing angle of a shooter operating the firearm  200 , substantially in the firing direction  106 . In this case, a total of three light spots  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c  each determining a course of the sight line  104  can be generated, in the aforementioned manner, on the projection surface  82  by the at least one light source  23  and the reflection element  43 . In the situation shown in  FIG. 11 , only the light spot  21   c  is generated by the light beam of the light source  23  (shown in the dashed line) or is visible on the projection surface  82 . The light spots  21   a  and  21   b , which are shown in this case solely to aid understanding, are not generated or are not visible on the projection surface  82 . In this situation, the device  11  has detected beforehand that the firearm  200  has pivoted from right to left in the horizontal plane when viewed from the position of the shooter, and an actuation signal has been output to the servomotor  42  to shift the reflection element  43  so that the light spot  21  is moved to the right out of the neutral position  21   a  and into the corrected position  21   c , for example, by the light spot  21   a  (and the light spot  21   b ) not being illuminated and the light spot  21   c  being illuminated. When the shooter aims at the target  105  (not shown in the drawing), the firearm  200  is therefore pivoted from right to left so that the light spot  21   c  can be made to optically coincide with or overlap the target  105  (not shown in more detail) and the barrel  101  of the firearm  200  can thus automatically have a predefined lead in front of the moving target  105 . As already explained with reference to  FIG. 10 , in this case the reflection element  43  can also alternatively be stationary and the position of the light spot  21  changed by altering the light beam at the light source  23 , or by a plurality of separate light sources  23  each generating one light spot  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c.    
     It should be clear that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described and/or feature combinations shown. The construction and the design of the sighting device and of the device for altering the course of the sight line can absolutely be modified without changing the core concept of the present invention. Reference should also be had to the appended claims. 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     
         
         
           
               100 ,  200  Firearm 
               1 ,  101  Barrel 
               11  Device for detecting a movement of the firearm 
               2 ,  102  Sighting device 
               21 ,  21   a ,  21   b ,  21   c  Marker, light spot 
               22  Adjustment device 
               22   a  Adjustment screw 
               22   b  Spring element 
               23  Light source 
               3 ,  103  Telescopic sight 
               4 ,  104  Sight line 
               41  Device for altering the course of the sight line 
               42  Servo-drive, servomotor 
               43  Optical member/Reflection element 
               5 ,  105  Target 
               6 ,  106  Firing direction 
               7 ,  107  Point of aim 
               8 ,  108  Reticle 
               81  Field of vision, field of view 
               82  Projection surface 
               109  Ocular lens 
               110  Objective lens 
             P Arrow/Movement 
             S Axis 
             V Velocity 
             α Angle