AN IMPROVED Nross Stone VANE FOR SMALL-ARMS. ALSO APPLICABLE TO ORDNANCE
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Storey Croudace, of Dundee, in the
County of Forfar, North Britain, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
Nross Stone VANE FOR SMALL-ARMS. ALSO APPLICABLE TO ORDNANCE.”
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Storey
Croudace at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his
Petition, on the 6th August 1878.
I WILLIAM STOREY CROUDAGE, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar,
North Britain, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for
"AN IMPROVED NIGHT SIGHT VANE FOR SMALL-ARMS, ALSO APPLICABLE TO
ORDNANCE," to be as follows, that is to say :—
This Invention consists in a peculiar construction of night sight vane
for rifles and other small-arms, and also applicable to ordnance, whereby
when the rifle or other arm is cocked a light is produced so as to shew

page_text: the line of sight of the gun barrel, and thus enable the arm to be
accurately pointed at night time. As soon as the arm is fired the sight
vane closes, and shuts out the light produced.
The improved night sight vane is constructed of a small rectangular
shaped box or case of metal applied by means of a ring clasp and screw
or otherwise to the barrel of the rifle or other arm in the direction of its
axis. In the centre of the top of the box pivots a tumbler, the top of
which is flush with the top of the box. The under side of the tumbler is
formed with a groove in the direction of its length, and is provided with
a projection or catch at one side. Between the under side of the
tumbler and the bottom of the box is a sliding piece formed with a
tongue or projection corresponding with and working in the groove in
the under side of the tumbler. It is also formed with a tooth or catch
at its outer end for raising the tumbler, as herein-after described. A rod
is fixed to the inner end of the sliding piece, which rod passes through
the end of the box, and is connected to the cock or other suitable part
of the lock of the rifle or other arm. A spiral spring is placed on the
said rod between the inner end of the sliding piece and the bottom of
the box.
The improved night sight vane being applied to a rifle or other arm
operates as follows:-The groove in the tumbler is armed with a small
portion of phosphorus paste, and when the arm is cocked the sliding
piece is drawn inwards by means of its rod, and the friction of its tongue
or projection against the central groove of the tumbler causes the phos-
phorus paste to shew a light when it is dark, and when the sliding
piece has reached a certain point its tooth comes against the catch of the
tumbler, raising the latter into a perpendicular position, thereby shewing
the line of sight of the barrel, and thus allows of pointing the arm.
When the piece is fired the herein-before described spiral spring pushes
forward the sliding piece, and the tumbler falls into its normal position, 3
shutting out the light.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Storey Croudace in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 30th January 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
STOREY CROUDACE, of Dundee, in the County of Forfar, North Britain,
send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of August, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Storey Croudace, Her special
licence that I, the said William Storey Croudace, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the said William
Storey Croudace, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should
at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all
times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and lawfully
might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great
Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention
for "AN IMPROVED NIGHT SIGHT VANE FOR SMALL-ARMS, ALSO. APPLICABLE TO
ORDNANCE," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Storey Croudace, my executors or administrators, by an
instrument in writing under my, or their, or one of their hands
and seals, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature of the
said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within
six calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said
Letters Patent.
NOW. KNOW YE, that I, the said William Storey Croudace, do
hereby declare the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement, reference being had to the Drawing
hereto annexed and to the figures and letters marked thereon, that is to
SAY

page_text: when the rifle or other arm is to be fired a light is or may be produced,
so as to shew the line of sight of the gun barrel, and thus enable the arm
to be accurately pointed at night time. As soon as the arm is fired the
sight vane is released and shuts out the light produced.
The improved night sight vane is constructed of a small rectangular ||
shaped box or case of metal applied by means of a ring clasp and screw
or otherwise to the barrel of the rifle or other arm in the direction of its
axis. In the centre of the top of the box pivots a tumbler, the top of
which is flush with the top of the box. The under side of the tumbler
is formed with a groove in the direction of its length, and is provided
with a projection or catch at one side. Between the under side of the
tumbler and the bottom of the box is a sliding piece formed with a
tongue or projection corresponding with and working in the groove in
the under side of the tumbler. It is also formed with a tooth or catch
at its outer end for raising the tumbler, as herein-after described. A rod 1
is fixed to the inner end of the sliding piece, which rod passes through
the end of the box, and is connected to the cock or other suitable part of
the lock of the rifle or other arm. Instead of by the cock or other part
of the lock it may be made to act by means of the thumb. A spiral
spring is placed on the said rod between the inner end of the sliding
piece and the bottom of the box.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention I will now proceed
to more particularly describe the same and the best means I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into effect by reference to the
accompanying Drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan, and Figure 2 a
side elevation of my improved night sight vane; Figure 3, side eleva-
tion, shewing the interior of the night sight vane, the case being in
section; Figures 4, 5, and 6, views of the sliding piece detached;
Figures 7 to 12, views of the tumbler detached; and Figure 13, side
elevation of a rifle furnished with two of my improved night sight vanes,
Figures 1 to 12 are drawn to a scale of about twice full size; and
Figure 13, about one-third full size. Similar letters in all the Figures
represent similar parts.
a, a, is the rectangular shaped box or case made of metal; 6 is the
tumbler working on the pin or pivot c, passing through the sides of the
box; d, Figures 8, 9, and 10, is the groove on the under side of the
tumbler; and e, the projection or catch on one side of the same; fis

page_text: the sliding piece placed between the under side of the tumbler and the
bottom of the box a, as seen in Figure 3; g, Figures 4 and 5, is the
tongue or projection on the sliding piece working in the groove & of the
tumbler 6; h is the tooth or catch of the sliding piece f; ¡ is the rod fixed
to the inner end of the sliding piece, and passing through the inner end
of the box; j, spiral spring.
Two of these improved night sight vanes, constructed as herein-before
described, are by preference applied to a rifle by ring clasps (or other-
wise), as shewn in Figure 18, and may be operated either by being
connected to the cock or other suitable part of the lock of the arm, or
by means of a thumb piece, which latter method is shown in Figure 13.
The rods of the sight vanes are connected by the arms 1, F, to the
horizontal rods m, m³, which can slide freely in horizontal holes in the
clasps k, . The rods m, m³, are connected together by a wire n, or its
equivalent, and on the inner end of the rod m is fixed the thumb piece o,
placed in such a position that it may be conveniently operated by the
thumb of the left hand of the marksman.
The improved night sight vane operates as follows:-The groove d of
the tumbler 6 is primed or armed with a small portion of phosphorus
paste ready for use. When the marksman wishes to point his rifle the
thumb piece o is drawn inwards, and will thereby draw inwards the
sliding pieces by acting on the arms l, A, connected, as herein-before
described, to the rods . As each sliding piece is drawn along the
friction of its tongue ignites the phosphorus, and the tooth h of the
sliding piece coming against the projection or catch e of the tumbler b,
this latter is raised by being turned on its pivot o into the position shewn
by dotted lines, Figure 2, and in Figure 18. The ignited phosphorus
in the grooves of the tumblers being thus set towards the marksman
will shew a light if it be dark, and thereby enable a marksman to see
the line of sight of the gun barrel, and point the arm. By relieving the
thumb piece o from pressure the tumblers and sliding pieces are moved
back to their normal position by the action of the spiral springs j.
The action of the improved night sight vane is the same when applied
to ordnance, except that it is made of larger dimensions, and is operated
by a string or otherwise.
Having thus described my Invention, and the best means I am
acquainted with for carrying the same into effect, what I claim as new

page_text: and desire to be protected by the herein in part recited Letters Patent
is, the application to fire-arms of the improved night sight vane arranged
and operating substantially as herein-before described and represented in
the accompanying Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Storey Croudace, have
hereto set my hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of January
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
W. A. GILBEE,
4, South St.,
Finsbury.
W*. S. CROUDACE. (L.s.)