Improvements in Rifle and Gun Sights.
Year: 1897

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Feb., 1897-Accepted, 27th Mar., 1897
Improvements in Rifle and Gun Sights.
I, THOMAS ARCHER WATSON, of the Village of Creemore, in the County of
Simcoe, in the Province of Ontario, Canada, Jeweller, 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 improvements in rifle and gun sights and the object of the
invention is-first-to design such a sight as will be a clear, definite guide for the
marksman and secondly-to provide a means whereby one of a plurality of sights
may be utilized at will while the others will be completely protected when not in
use and it consists essentially-first-of a sight comprising a flat plate of black
lustreless metal designed to be set vertically with the long top edge on a line with
the rifle and provided with an angle tip of gold located nearer the stock of the
rifle and secondly-of a case with a central longitudinal bolt extending crosswise
of the rifle and having journalled thereon plate sights of different kinds, the said
case being supported upon a suitable base and provided with slits at the top and
bottom into which the desired sight to be used is swung, so that the top appears
above the top of the case and the bottom is supported and held in position by a
spring situated beneath the case, the parts being constructed and arranged in detail
as hereinafter more particularly explained.
Fig. 1, is a cross sectional perspective view of portion of a barrel or rifle looking
up the barrel and showing my rifle sight in position.
Fig. 2, is an exaggerated cross sectional perspective view of my rifle sight.
Fig. 3, is an exaggerated longitudinal sectional perspective view.
Fig. 4, is a general perspective view of the sight exaggerated.
Figs. 5 and 6 are details of different sights.
In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each
figure.
A is the barrel of the rifle. a are the raised cross flanges forming a crossed
dove-tailed groove into which fits the tongue-shaped base B of the casing C of the
rifle sight. The casing C is comprised of the top C¹, sides C2, front C³ and
bottom C, which is secured on the top of the base B.
c is a slit cut in the centre of the top and extending from near the front of the
case to the back edge of the top. c is a slit cut in the bottom C* and extending
from near the back edge to the front edge of the bottom C.
D is a bolt, which extends longitudinally from side to side of the case and is
provided with a suitable head at one end and a reduced threaded end at the other
upon which is placed a nut d.
E E E and E are sights, which are made in plate form being loosely journalled
upon the bolt D and capable of longitudinal movement thereon as well as of being
turned. Each of the sights E E E and E' are provided with shoulders e e¹ e
and e³, which are designed when the sight is thrown up as shown in the drawings
to rest upon the top C¹ at the forward end of the slit c. The bottom edge of each
plate comprising the sights is designed to rest upon a spring plate F extending
longitudinally beneath the slot c¹ and the bottom and is held to the bottom C₁
together with the supplemental spring plate F1 by the screw f
When the sight is not in use it is swung down into the position shown as to three
of the sights in Figs. 2 and 4 in which the front edge of the sight when up is flush

page_text: "
with the top C' when down, the shoulders of the front edge of the sight
hereinbefore described serving to allow of this. The top edge of the sight when
up is, when down, at the back, as shown, and projects over the back of the bottom C*
of the casing C.
To throw the desired sight into position it is merely necessary to move it
longitudinally upon the bolt: D and insert any suitable instrument underneath the
bottom edge when down when it may be forced in the upright position against the
pressure of the spring plate F, which when up serves to maintain it in position in
the slit c above the level of the top C¹ of the casing C. To throw the sight down
again the exact reverse movement is required.
The sight E is provided with a ring aperture 2 and the sight E' is provided
with a gold tip 2', which is preferably in the form of a tiny gold strip 3 inserted
into a corresponding recess at the back angle of the plate when up, the end of the
gold strip being preferably situated with the top edge of the end on a level with
the top edge of the sight, so that the end extends back beyond the top edge of the
plate. The side plate E2 is provided with a top bead 4 in addition to the gold tip 5,
which in this instance of course has the effect of throwing out the bead like a round
ball to the view of the marksman. The sight plate E³ is made wider than the side
plate E' and is more particularly adapted for a marksman with impaired eye sight
in target shooting or hurting. The bead or ball point of the side plate E is for
the target or other purpose desired.
It is well known that different marksmen prefer different sights and it is with
the object of adapting the rifle for any person's use or for different uses that my
invention is partly designed.
I am aware that gun and rifle sights have been made of a combination of metals!
and also that steel and iron sights have been gilded but none of these sights utilize
the principle on which my gold tip sight is constructed viz. such a reflection from
the tip of the sight as will make the same appear a small glittering speck to the
eye perfectly distinct and separate from the other part of the sight, which it is
essential should be made of a dead lustreless black.
I do not claim any originality on the bead or the aperture in themselves but
merely the combination by which the utilized portion of the sight in whatever form
it may be is supported and protected, the plate support appearing simply as a
thin post.
my said
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of
invention; and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
:-
1. In a sight for rifles aud fire arms and as a new article of manufacture, a plate
of dead lustreless black color having a gold tip at the upper back angle suitably.
supported and set with the top edge lengthwise on the rifle barrel as and for the
purpose specified.
2. In a sight for rifles and fire arms and as a new article of manufacture, a
suitably supported plate of dead lustreless black color, a tiny strip of gold inserted
angularly into the back angle of the plate, so that the outer end of the gold strip
is presented at the top of the back edge of the sight as. and for the purpose
specified.
3. In a sight for rifles and fire arms and as a new article of manufacture, a
suitably supported plate of dead lustreless black color, a tiny strip of gold inserted
angularly into the back angle of the plate, so that the outer end of the gold strip is
presented at the top of the back edge of the sight and a bead of dead lustreless
black color extending above the top edge of the sight as and for the purpose
specified.
4. In a sight for rifles and fire arms and as a new article of manufacture, a
suitably supported plate of dead lustreless black color and a bead of corresponding
color of greater diameter than the thickness. of the plate located on the top edge of
the sight at the back end thereof as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 5. The combination with the base, of a casing, a holt extending longitudinally
throughout the length thereof, a plurality of sight plates on the bolt, a slit in the
top of the casing designed to receive a sight when swung up into position for use as
and for the purpose specified.
6. The combination with the base, of a casing, a bolt extending longitudinally
throughout the length thereof, a plurality of sight plates on the bolt, a slit in the
top of the casing designed to receive a sight when swung up into position for use
and means for retaining such sight when swung up into position as and for the
purpose specified.
use, a
7. The combination with the base, of a casing a bolt extending longitudinally
throughout the length thereof, a plurality of sight plates on the bolt, a slit in the
top of the casing designed to receive a sight when swung up into position for
slit in the bottom of the casing through which such plate extends, and a spring
plate held to the bottom of the casing and designed to exert a pressure upon the
bottom of the sight plate as and for the purpose specified.
8. The combination with the base, of a casing, a bolt extending throughout the
length thereof, a plurality of sight plates on the bolt, a slit in the top of the casing
designed to receive a sight when swung up into position for use, a shoulder in the
sight designed to rest on the top of the casing at the front of the slit when the sight
is not swung up and to permit of the front edge of the sight being flush with the
top of the casing when down as and for the purpose specified.
Barca ne food tay Οι 1001.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicant.