Patent Publication Number: US-7913440-B2

Title: Telescopic sight

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     I. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a telescopic sight comprising at least one main tube and a reticule with a reticule adjusting device arranged on the main tube for adjusting the reticule and an optical focusing means with a focus adjusting device arranged on the main tube for focusing the optical focusing means. 
     Particularly in the case of telescopic sights with a high degree of magnification the optical focusing means must be set or focused to the target distance in order to achieve a sharp image. A further reason for a suitable optical focusing means is avoiding a spacing between the image of the target produced by the objective lens and the reticule as such a spacing would result in parallax and thus an aiming error. In addition at least any relatively high-grade telescopic sight requires a reticule adjusting device for adjusting the reticule. 
     II. Description of the Related Art 
     It is known in the state of the art to use objective lens-side adjusting rings as the focus adjusting device. In addition, however, there are also telescopic sights in which a total of three adjusting turrets are provided in the region of the central tube. Two of those adjusting turrets serve as the reticule adjusting device. The third adjusting turret serves as the focus adjusting device. 
     The objective lens-side adjusting ring as the focus adjusting device is relatively unwieldy to operate. In addition, it involves a large diameter for the telescopic sight in the objective lens region, and thus involves a correspondingly high weight. In addition, relatively high mounting on the rifle is necessary. 
     The consequence of the above-mentioned variant having the three adjusting turrets is that at least the two laterally disposed adjusting turrets are each only simple to operate with one hand. In addition, that variant represents a large amount of space occupied on the telescopic sight. That causes problems in particular when still further adjusting functions, such as, for example, controlling the brightness of the reticule illumination, are to be provided. A further disadvantage of this variant is that the distance set at the optical focusing means cannot be read off in alignment with the telescopic sight axis. Overall the variant with the three adjusting turrets means that the telescopic sight is of an irregular overall appearance. A further disadvantage is that the additional focusing device is a nuisance when bearing the weapon. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to improve a telescopic sight of the general kind set forth in such a way that the stated disadvantages of the state of the art are avoided. 
     That is achieved in that the reticule adjusting device and the focus adjusting device are arranged in the form of an integrated adjusting device, preferably in the form of a integrated adjusting turret, jointly on the main tube. 
     It is therefore provided that the integrated adjusting device includes both the reticule adjusting device and also the focus adjusting device. That integrated configuration for the reticule adjusting device and the focus adjusting device provides additional space for at least one further operating function. Furthermore, the invention can be designed to be of a relatively low structure whereby obstructions to the view beyond the telescopic sight are substantially avoided. With a suitable design the dimensions of the integrated adjusting device are not substantially larger than those of usual reticule adjusting devices. The smaller number of adjusting devices to be viewed from the exterior results in an overall more unobtrusive appearance for the telescopic sight. 
     The term main tube relates generally to the housing of the telescopic sight. It can therefore be of any desired external shape, such as, for example, of a round, oval, rectangular or differently shaped, internal and/or external cross-section. 
     Desirably the integrated adjusting device is arranged at the top on the main tube in the operative position of the telescopic sight, whereby simple operation is possible with the right hand and the left hand. In addition that also makes it possible to easily read off the set distance as the integrated adjusting device and the scales mounted externally thereon are in alignment with the axis of the telescopic sight. In particular the scales for the aiming line and the distance can be arranged directly one above the other and can thus be arranged in such a way that they can be conveniently read off at the same time. 
     A further advantage of an integrated adjusting device is that, with a coupleable configuration in respect of the reticule adjusting device and the focus adjusting device, automatic ballistic correction is possible at least within certain ranges. 
     In a preferred embodiment it is provided that the reticule adjusting device which is included in the integrated adjusting device serves for height adjustment of the reticule. The reticule adjusting device for lateral adjustment of the reticule can then, for example, be in the form of a separate adjusting device or a separate adjusting turret. It is however, also possible for lateral adjustment to be also additionally incorporated into the integrated adjusting device, or for the height adjustment to be in the form of a separate adjusting turret, and for lateral adjustment to be implemented by means of the integrated adjusting device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further features and details of the invention will be apparent from the specific description hereinafter. In the drawings: 
         FIG. 1  shows a telescopic sight according to the state of the art with three adjusting turrets, 
         FIG. 2  shows an embodiment according to the invention of a telescopic sight, 
         FIG. 3  shows a view in vertical section in the longitudinal direction through the main tube of the embodiment according to the invention as shown in  FIG. 2  in the region of the integrated adjusting device, and 
         FIG. 4  shows a horizontal section taken along the straight line AB in  FIG. 3 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Both the telescopic sight shown in  FIG. 1  in accordance with the state of the art and also the embodiment according to the invention as shown in  FIG. 2  have a main tube  1  of a diameter which is enlarged in the objective lens region  27  and in the eyepiece region  28 . The central tube  29  of the main tube  1  is arranged between those regions. It is of a smaller diameter in comparison with the regions  27  and  28 . The central tube  29  in both telescopic sights carries the adjusting devices which here are in the form of adjusting turrets. 
     The known telescopic sight shown in  FIG. 1  has three adjusting devices in the form of the adjusting turrets  3 ,  4  and  5 . This involves the focus adjusting device  3  as well as the height adjustment  4  and the lateral adjustment  5  as reticule adjusting devices. 
     In the embodiment according to the invention as shown in  FIG. 2  the focus adjusting device  3  and the reticule adjusting device for height adjustment  4  are in the form of an integrated adjusting device  26 . As a manually actuable rotatable actuating element, in this arrangement the rotary knob  6  is provided for height adjustment  4  and the rotary ring  7  surrounding the rotary knob  6  is provided for the focus adjusting device. 
       FIG. 3  shows a vertical section through the integrated adjusting device  26  along the optical axis  2 . Both the rotary ring  7  and also the rotary knob  6  are carried by a common housing  11 . The latter is fixed non-rotatably to the outer tube  1 . The rotary knob  6  for height adjustment  4  engages by way of latching means  10 , preferably permanently, into a corresponding latching groove  32  on the housing  11 . Rotation of the rotary knob  6  moves the spindle  8  which is mounted therein and which is fixedly connected to the rotary knob and which is screwed in and out in a vertical direction  24  by a rotational movement. The spindle  8  bears with its lower end against the housing  9  of a per se known reversal system. The reticule  25  is in turn integrated thereinto. Height adjustment of the reticule  25  is thus effected by screwing the spindle  8  in and out. As can be seen particularly clearly from  FIG. 4  the rotary ring  7  arranged coaxially with the rotary knob  6  has an inner recess  20  which is arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation  21  and in which there is arranged an inner ring  12  which is mounted eccentrically thereby. An entrainment pin  13  is in turn fixed to the ring  12  and is compulsorily guided in a longitudinal groove  14  of the main tube  1 . The entrainment pin  13  is in turn fixedly connected to the optical focusing means holder  15  which is supported displaceably in the interior of the main tube  1  in the directions  30  in parallel relationship with the optical axis  2  of the telescopic sight. The optical focusing means holder  15  carries the optical focusing means  16  which here is in the form of an individual lens. 
     This arrangement ensures that, upon rotation of the rotary ring  7 , the axis of symmetry  31  of the inner ring  12  is displaced in one of the directions  30 . That provides in a condition of compulsory guidance a corresponding displacement of the entrainment pin  13  within the longitudinal groove  14  and thus displacement of the optical focusing means  16  within the main tube  1  along the optical axis  2  whereby the telescopic sight can be focused. Arranged externally on the rotary ring  7  in the illustrated embodiment is a distance scale  17  showing the set distance. In the illustrated embodiment the maximum possible rotary angle of the rotary ring  7  is limited to &lt;180° by virtue of the longitudinal groove  14  being of a corresponding length. The rotary angle however can also be 360° or any other angle. The abutment is to be suitably designed in each case. In principle the rotary angle limitation is optional. 
     Both the rotary knob  6  and also the rotary ring  7  are sealed off in relation to the housing  11  and thus in relation to main tube  1  by way of seals  19 . 
     A cap  18  is provided as an attachment on the rotary knob  6  in this embodiment. The cap  18  can be screwed to the housing  11  in order to prevent unintentional adjustment of the rotary knob  6 , and thus the reticule adjusting device. In a preferred embodiment, however, it can also be provided that the cap  18  serves for coupling the reticule adjusting device  4  to the focus adjusting device  3  for automatic distance-dependent ballistic correction. In this case the cap  18  can be moved into two limit positions spaced from each other in a vertical direction  24  on the rotary knob  6 . In the lower limit position, the tooth arrangement  22  provided externally on the cap  18  engages into a corresponding internal tooth arrangement  23  on the rotary ring  7 . The reticule adjusting device  4  and the focus adjusting device  3  are coupled together in that position. In the upper limit position of the cap  18 , it is then provided that the tooth arrangements  22  and  23  no longer engaged into each other whereby the reticule adjusting device  4  and the focus adjusting device  3  are uncoupled, and are thus operable independently of each other. For example, that uncoupling is also appropriate for basic adjustment or adaptation of the telescopic sight to the weapon. In the coupled condition an overall relatively large gripping surface is afforded by way of the cap  18  and the ring  17  for manual operation and automatic distance-dependent ballistic correction.