Improvements in Sights for Ordnance.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Mar., 1894
Complete Specification Left. 22nd Dec., 1891-Accepted, 26th Jan., 1805
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sights for Ordnance.
We, HENRY STODDARD BISHOP, of Wilton Villa, Chapel Road, Bexley: Heath,
Kent and SAMUEL VICTOR DARDIER, of 32 Victoria Street,. in the City of
Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to. be as
follows:-
This invention relates to ordnance sights of the type wherein the rear sight is
moved up and down a sight bar to obtain the correct elevation or depression by
means of rack and pinion gear. Our said invention has for its object to so provide
that the pinion can be disengaged from the rack so as to permit of rapidly moving
the sight up and down the bar for considerable distances.
In such sights as heretofore made the operating wheel is fastened to the spindle of
the pinion which gears with the rack on the sight bar, and consequently the only
mode of moving the sight up and down is by turning the wheel.
According to the present invention we so connect the wheel and spindle which
carries the pinion that said pinion can be disengaged from the rack while remaining
in engagement with the driving-wheel. Such disengagement is preferably effected
by an axial sliding movement, which is brought about by pressing on the end
of the spindle. When the pressure is removed from the spindle, the pinion is
at once pushed back into gear with the rack by a spring provided for the
purpose. A convenient mode of connecting the spindle to the driving wheel is
by a pin and slot which allows of the desired sliding movement to disengage the
pinion from the rack while ensuring that, the pinion and wheel shall always turn
together.
It will be obvious that when the rack and pinion are disengaged, the sight can be
rapidly moved the whole length of the sight bar or any interinediate distance without
the aid of the driving wheel.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.
*
We, HENRY STODDARD BISHOP, of Wilton Villa, Chapel Road, Bexley
Heath, Kent, and SAMUEL VICTOR DARDIER, of 32 Victoria Street, in the City
of Westminster, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in; what
manner the same is to be performed, to, be particularly described and ascertained in
and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to ordnance sights of the type wherein the rear sight
is by means of rack and pinion gear moved vertically on a sight bar to obtain

page_text: the correct elevation or depression. Our said invention has for its object to
provide means whereby the pinion can be disengaged from the rack to permit
of rapidly sliding the sight up or down the sight bar when large adjustments are
required.
In such sights as heretofore made the operating wheel is fastened to the spindle
of the pinion that gears with the rack on the sight-bar, and consequently the sight
can only be moved up and down the bar by turning the wheel, and the adjustments
can only be made slowly.
According to the present invention we so connect the wheel to the spindle that
carries the pinion that the said pinion can be disengaged from the rack while
remaining in engagement with the operating wheel. Such disengagement is effected
by pressing on the end of the spindle and thus sliding the same axially. When
released from the end pressure, the pinion is at once pushed back into engagement
with the rack by a spring provided for the purpose.
In the accompanying drawings which illustrate our invention
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the sight and a portion of the sight bar.
Figure 2 is a partial rear elevation of the same, the spindle and wheel being
sbown in central longitudinal section.
Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in both figures.
A is the sight bar; B is the sight piece which can slide up and down on the
bar A in the usual manner; C is the rack formed on or fixed to the sight bar.
D is the pinion that gears with the rack C; E is the spindle on which the pinion
is formed or fixed. F is the wheel for turning the pinion to move the sight up
or down.
The wheel F is fixed on a short hollow spindle G mounted to turn in the
part of the sight piece B which part is suitably prepared to receive it; the said
spindle is furnished at its inner end with a collar G₁ that bears against an internal
shoulder b¹ in the part 6 and is thereby held in place. The wheel F can be removed
from its spindle G and the latter withdrawn from the sight piece after removing
a retaining screw H. The spindle E carrying the pinion D passes through the
part of the sight piece and its inner end enters and is supported by the hollow
spindle G. Its outer end is enlarged at e as shown to loosely fit the opening in
the part b. The two spindles E and G are connected by a pin and slot whereby
they are compelled to turn together but the spindle E can be moved axially in the
spindle G. Jis the pin fixed transversely in the spindle G and passing through a
slot Jformed on each side the spindle E in a direction parallel with the axis of
the spindle. K is a spring contained within the hollow spindle E and compressed
between the pin J and the end of the hole in the spindle. This spring operates
to keep the pinion D in gear with the rack. When the wheel Fis rotated it turns
the spindle G and, through the pin and slot, the spindle E; hence when the pinion
is in gear with the rack the sight piece can be raised and lowered in the ordinary
manner.
By pressing against the projecting end of the spindle E the said spindle can be
moved axially a distance sufficient for the pinion to become disengaged from the
rack; the sight piece can then be moved up or down the rod without turning the
operating wheel and a large adjustment of the sight thus rapidly effected; then on
removing the pressure from the end of the spindle E the latter will be pushed out
again by the spring K and the pinion will re-engage with the rack whereupon the
required fine adjustment of the sight can be made by turning the operating wheel
in the usual way. By this device we thus effect a considerable saving of time when
large adjustments of the sight are necessary.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A sight of the class or type herein described provided with means for disengaging
the pinion from the rack for the purpose specified.

page_text: 2. The improved rear sight constructed substantially as described with reference
to the accompanying drawings and operating as, and for the purpose, specified.
Dated this 22nd day of December 1894.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicants.