Improvements in Sights for Fire Arms or other Guns.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Aug., 1888
Complete Specification Left, 22nd June, 1839-Accepted, 27th July, 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sights for Fire Arms or other Guns.
1, ROBERT WRIGHT STUDDY of Waldeton Court in the County of Devon,
Lieutenant Colonel 2nd Manchester Regiment, do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows :—
My invention relates to sights for fire arms, or other guns.
The fore sights for fire arms as hitherto constructed are open to the following
objections that is to say -The said sights are firmly attached by brazing or otherwise
to the barrels of the fire-arms thus causing great inconvenience should the said sights
become damaged.
The said sights moreover being fixed and in some cases presenting sharp projecting
parts or portions are apt to cause inconvenience owing to the liability of the said
sights catching in some object as for instance, when drawing a carbine out of its
hucket, a revolver from a pocket, or the like, the projecting sight being apt in such
cases to catch in the bucket, or pocket, and thereby more or less obstruct or prevent
the withdrawal of the said carbine or revolver therefrom.
Moreover different colored sights are usually employed when accurate shooting is
required for different colored objects, thus a white sight is required for a black or
dark colored object, and a black sight for a white or light colored object and in some cases
a sight composed of two or more colors is required. It has been usual hitherto for
persons desirous of performing accurate shooting to carry with them paints or some
other means for altering the color of the ordinary fixed sights in order to suit the
color of the object to be aimed at.
Now the chief object of my invention is to obviate the above defects and to provide
a sight for fire arms that can be easily replaced when damaged.
My said invention comprises morcover various other improvements hereinafter
set forth.
In carrying my said invention into practice I provide a metal block of suitable form
and dimensions adapted to be firmly fixed, by brazing or otherwise, to the barrel of
the fire arm, in a similar manner to the ordinary sights, as hitherto constructed. In
this block I form a recess in which I fit a disc upon a suitable spindle so that the said
disc can rotate thereon. A suitable portion of this disc projects above the block so as
to form a convenient sight. The said disc is moreover preferably bevelled so as to
reduce the thickness of the periphery, and the sides are suitably roughtened so as to
prevent radiation of light therefrom.
Portions of the said disc may be formed of different colors for the purpose herein-
before referred to.
It is obvious that should one portion of the periphery of the disc become injured, the
said disc may be rotated upon its axis so as to bring another portion of the periphery
of the said disc into operation, and moreover that the said disc may be easily and
expeditiously replaced when desired.
In some instances i form the disc above described with one or more cut away parts
or portions upon the same so as to present a similar outline to that of an ordinary
fore-sight. The cut-away portion or portions of the said disc visible in this case may
be colored in any suitable manner, and can be brought into operation by revolving
the said cut-away disc upon its axis. A set screw or other suitable dovice is employed
to retain the said cut away disc in any desired position.
Although I have herein before described my improved sight as more especially
intended for a fore-sight for fire-arms it is obvious that it may be employed as a back

page_text: My improved sight is applicable to rifles, carbines, revolvers, or to any other descrip-
tion of fire arms, or to air-guns or the like.
my
It is obvious moreover that I can somewhat further modify the construction of
device without however in any way departing from the nature of my said
invention.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1888.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Sights for Fire-arms or other Guns.
I, ROBERT WRIGHT STUDDY, of Waddeton Court, in the County of Devon,
Lieutenant Colonel 2nd Manchester Regiment, 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:-
My invention relates to sights for fire-arms or other guns and is designed to
improve the construction of the same.
Foresights for fire-arms as hitherto constructed are objectionable for the following
reasons, amongst others that is to say:-The sight being firmly attached by brazing
or otherwise to the barrel of the gun cannot be readily replaced or repaired. The said
sights moreover have fixed points or projections which are liable to injury by
accidental blows, such as may result from the falling of piles of arms, or from contact
with hard material such as stone, iron or the like. These fixed points or projections,
are moreover, objectionable by reason of their liability to catch in or engage with
other objects; for instance when a carbine is being drawn out of its bucket, or a
revolver from a pocket, holster, or the like, the projecting sight is apt to catch in the
bucket, pocket or holster and thereby more or less obstruct or prevent the withdrawal
of the carbine or revolver therefrom.
In the case of a carbine, attempts have been made to protect the sight by side
flanges or guards, but these flanges or guards impair the utility of the carbine for
both target and field practice, by covering the object aimed at, more especially in the
case of an object moving beside stationary objects.
When accurate shooting is required, it has been customary to employ paints or other
means for altering the colour of the ordinary fixed sights according to the colour of
the object to be aimed at; thus a white sight is used for a black or dark coloured
object, and a black sight for a white or light coloured object; and in some cases a
sight having two or more colours is employed.
By my invention I obviate or greatly diminish the above defects, and provide a
sight which can be easily replaced when damaged, and in which can be combined, if
desired, the several differently coloured surfaces usually employed in shooting.
My said invention comprises moreover, other improvements hereinafter set forth.
In the accompanying drawing I have shown how my said invention may be con-
veniently and advantageously carried into practice.
Figure 1 is a plan.
Figure 2 a side elevation, and
Figure 3 an end elevation showing one form of my improved sight.
Figures to. 12 show, in plan, side elevation and end elevation, various modifi-
cations of my invention.
Figure 13 is a section on the line c, a. Figures 11 and 12 showing a detail
of construction.
Figure 14 is a side elevation partly in vertical section showing a further modifi-
cation of my said invention.
Like letters indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawing.
a is a block of metal or other suitable material and of any convenient form and

page_text: to the barrel of the fire-arm in a similar manner to the ordinary sights. In the block a
is formed a recess a¹ in which is arranged a disc b carried by a suitable spindle c so
that it can rotate freely thereon. The disc & projects a sufficient distance above the
block a to form a convenient sight. The said disc is moreover preferably bevelled so
as to reduce the thickness of the same at the periphery, and the sides are suitably
roughened to prevent radiation of light therefrom. In some cases I provide upon the
periphery of the disc, ba band or rim b' formed of some metal or material of a
different colour from the said disc, or portions of the said disc may be formed of
different colours for the purpose above specified.
It is obvious that a sight constructed in this manner is less liable to injury than the
ordinary sights as the disc or its equivalent is free to revolve upon its axis when it
comes in contact with other objects; the pressure and wear to which it is subjected is
therefore much reduced as compared with the ordinary fixed points or projections.
Moreover should one portion of the periphery of the disc become injured, the said
disc may be rotated upon its axis so as to bring another portion of its periphery into
the desired position above the block a. The said disc may be easily and expeditiously
removed, when desired, by simply driving out the spindle c;
and can be very
readily replaced.
Figures 4 to 6 illustrate another modification of my invention wherein I cut away
the disc b so as to form two surfaces be having a similar outline to that of an ordinary
fore-sight. The said surfaces & may be faced with metals or other materials of different
colour, or may be otherwise differently coloured in any suitable manner and either of
the surfaces can be brought into the desired position above the block a by revolving
the disc upon its axis. is a set-screw the extremity of which is adapted to fit into
one or the other of two countersinks e provided in the disc b so as to retain the said
disc in any desired position. When not required for use the cut away disc b may be
turned or rotated upon its spindle c in the recess a¹ so as to present little or no project-
ing parts above the block a.
Figures 7 to 9 show a similar arrangement to that shown in Figures 4 to 6 with
the exception that three surfaces & are provided instead of two as above described.
The disc may be cut away so as to afford any desired number of the said surfaces b².
Figures 10 to 13 illustrato another modification of my invention wherein the
surfaces are formed sloping or oblique, for the purpose of catching the light and
thereby showing up more distinctly at night or in dark places. Moreover, in this case
I disponse with the set-screw d and provide a spring (more clearly shown in
Figure 13) the extremity of which is adapted to engage in suitable holes or recesses f
provided in one side of the disc b and thus retain the latter in any desired position
whilst permitting the turning thereof by hand.
In order to facilitate the withdrawal of the disc b (when the spindle c has been
driven out) and the insertion of another disc in its place, I provide in the block a a
suitable recess a². By inserting the extremity of any convenient tool into the said
recess a² beneath the spring fand prizing up the said spring, the point or extremity
of the latter may be released from the hole or recess f₁ in the disc b in which it
normally engages, and the said disc may then be easily removed and another one
substituted therefor.
In some cases I provide suitable slots or grooves in the disc b to give clearance for
the point or extremity of the said spring and to permit the withdrawal of the said disc.
Figure 14 illustrates a further modification of my said invention wherein the disc b
is arranged eccentrically upon the spindle c so that by turning the said disc upon its
spindle the sight may be adjusted to suit any desired range. The sight shown in
Figure 14 is an adjustable fore-sight for use with a fixed back or rear sight. A spring
or other suitable device may be employed for retaining any desired portion of the said
disc in position above the block a. This arrangement is preferably applied to sporting
rifles such as those commonly known as "Express" rifles which require only 2 or 3 grades of
elevation say for example, 120, 200, and 300 yards, and which owing to the extreme
velocity of the bullet will require but slight differences of elevation of the tip of the
foresight. In this case moreover I prefer to form the bevelled portion of the disc b of

page_text: a different thickness for each of the said different ranges, that is to say, to cut away
more and form it thinner for the longer range, and to cut away less and to form it
thicker for the shorter ranges.
Although I have herein before described my improved sight as more especially
intonded for a foresight for fire-arms it is obvious that it may be employed as a back
sight therefor.
My improved sight is applicable to rifles, carbines revolvers, ordnance, and other
fire arms, and also to air-guns or the like.
It is obvious that I can somewhat further modify the construction of my improved
sight without departing from the nature of my said invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed I wish it understood that 1 claim:-
First. A sight having a removable revolving disc or other suitably shaped piece, for
the purposes above specified.
Second. A sight which is provided with differently coloured surfaces and wherein
provision is made for the adjustment of the said surfaces to bring either of them into
operative position, substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.
Third. A sight provided with a revolving disc mounted excentrically upon a suitable
shaft or axle, so that the elevation and depression of the sight may be effected by the
rotation of the said disc, as above specified.
Fourth. The improved sight constructed substantially as described with reference to
Figures 1, 2 and 3, or to Figures 4, 5 and 6, or to Figures 7, 8 and 9, or to Figures
10, 11, 12 and 13, or to Figure 14, of the accompanying drawing, for the purposes
above specified.
Dated this and de
11000
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, Agents for the Applicant