IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TELESCOPES, AND IN THE METHOD OF ARRANGING AND FIXING THE SAME IN COMBINATION WITH FIRE-ARMS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADJUSTING THE AIM THEREOF
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to David Davidson, of Woodcroft, Morningside, near
Edinburgh, North Britain, Retired Major in the Indian Service, for
the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TELESCOPES,
AND IN THE METHOD OF ARRANGING AND FIXING THE SAME IN COMBINATION
WITH FIRE-ARMS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADJUSTING THE AIM THEREOF."
Sealed the 16th June 1863, and dated the 19th December 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said David Davidson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
19th December 1862.
I, DAVID DAVIDSON, of Woodcroft, Morningside, near Edinburgh, North
Britain, Retired Major in the Indian Service, do hereby declare the nature
of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TELESCOPES,
AND IN THE METHOD OF ARRANGING AND FIXING THE SAME IN COMBINATION WITH
FIRE-ARMS, FOR THE PURPOSE OF ADJUSTING THE AIM THEREOF," to be as
follows:-
This Invention consists partly of the following improvements in the con-
struction of telescopes to be used in combination with fire-arms. The field
bar of the telescope is furnished with two slides moving at right angles to
each other, and worked by screws, each slide carrying a cross hair, one of
such hairs thus being horizontal, while the other is vertical. The horizontal
hair is for minute adjustment of the telescope in elevation, the vertical hair

page_text: being for allowance for side wind. The intersection of the lines when adjusted
gives the aim. This improvement is applicable to the telescope, whether the
latter is fixed to the rifle or other piece in the manner herein-after described,
or in any other manner.
Another part of this Invention consists of improvements in arranging and
fixing telescopes in combination with fire-arms, and is especially applicable to
rifles and other small arms. The telescope is applied at the side of the piece,
so that when depressed for the long range it clears the muzzle of the barrel.
The body of the telescope is enclosed in a metallic tube, on which are fixed
two collars, one at the object end of the telescope, and the other about five-
inches from the eye-piece. The collar next the eye-piece is constructed with
a neck furnished with projecting cams or lugs, the said neck entering into a
corresponding hole or groove in the shield plate of one of the lock screws.
joint is thus formed, in which a sufficient amount of elevation and depression
can be given to the telescope. The collar at the object end of the telescope is
furnished with a quadrant, which latter presses against a plate of metal
inserted into the stock about ten inches, or at some other convenient
distance from the breech. A screw furnished with a milled head passes
through the before-mentioned plate of metal, by which the quadrant can be
set and clamped at any required angle.
A
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said David Davidson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
19th June 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, DAVID
DAVIDSON, of Woodcroft, Morningside, near Edinburgh, North Britain,
Retired Major in the Indian Service, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Nineteenth day of December, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-sixth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said David Davidson, Her special licence that I, the said David
Davidson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I,
the said David Davidson, 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

page_text: and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF TELESCOPES, AND IN THE METHOD OF
ARRANGING AND FIXING THE SAME IN COMBINATION WITH FIRE-ARMS, FOR THE
PURPOSE OF ADJUSTING THE AIM THEREOF," upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said David Davidson, 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 Inven-
tion, 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 David Davidson, 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 Drawings hereunto annexed, and to
the figures and letters marked thereon (that is to say) :-
My said Invention consists of certain improvements in the construction of
telescopes, and in the arrangement thereof in combination with fire-arms, and
supplies the requirements in the method of taking aim, consequent upon the
improvements which have recently been made in the construction of the rifle,
and the great extension of its range.
One part of my
said Invention consists of the following improvements in
the construction of telescopes to be used in combination with fire-arms, as
before mentioned :-The field bar of the telescope is furnished with two slides
moving at right angles to each other, and worked by screws, each slide
carrying a cross hair or line, one of such lines thus being horizontal, while
the other is vertical. The horizontal line is for minute adjustment of the
telescope in elevation, the vertical line being for allowance for side wind.
The intersection of the lines when adjusted gives the aim. This improvement
is applicable to the telescope, whether the latter be fixed to the rifle or other
piece in the manner herein-after described, or in any other manner.
This portion of my said Invention will, however, be more clearly understood
by reference to the annexed Drawings.
Figure 1 is a cross section of the field bar (somewhat enlarged) at the focal
point, shewing the vertical slide carrying the horizontal line. The slide a has
a fine screw b at its upper end, and a square pin c at its lower end. This
slide is dropped into the groove in the field bar made to receive it, through a
slot cut in the tube of the telescope. It is worked into position by means of
a milled nut d, which nut is kept in its place by a strap held to the tube by
screws. When the milled nut is turned, the horizontal line is raised or

page_text: depressed for the different elevations which are marked on the square pin C
projecting through the lower side of the tube. The slide for the vertical line
is exactly similar to that for the horizontal one, but set at right angles to it.
The moving of the vertical line by the last-mentioned slide gives the required
correction for side wind. Figure 2 is a side view of the part of the tube of
the telescope where the last-described arrangement is made.
I will now proceed to describe the other part of my said Invention, which
consists of improvements in arranging and fixing telescopes of whatever kind
in combination with fire-arins, and is especially applicable to rifles and other
small arms. The telescope is applied at the side of the piece, so that when
depressed for the long range it clears the muzzle of the barrel. The body of the
telescope is enclosed in a metallic tube, on which are fixed two collars, one at
the object end of the telescope, and the other about five inches from the eye end
thereof. The collar next the eye end is constructed with a neck furnished with
square projections or lugs, the said neck entering a corresponding hole in the
escutcheon plate of one of the lock screws, the lugs taking hold of the inside
of the plate on the collar being twisted. A joint is thus formed in which a
sufficient amount of elevation or depression can be given to the telescope..
The collar at the object end of the telescope is furnished with a quadrant,
which latter presses against a plate of metal inserted into the stock of the
piece at about ten inches, or at some other convenient distance from the
breech. A screw furnished with a milled head passes through the stock under
the barrel, and through the before-mentioned plate of metal, and by means of a
milled nut on the end of this screw (the head of which screw takes hold of the
edge of the quadrant) the quadrant can be clamped securely at any required
angle. These arrangements will be more clearly understood by reference to the
annexed Drawings. Figures 3, 4, and 5, are views of the front collar with
quadrant 1; Figure 3 is a front view, Figure 4 a side view, and Figure 5 an
oblique view in perspective; Figures 6 and 7 are front and side views of the
collar near the eye end of the telescope, showing the neck G and projecting
edges m, m; Figure 8 is a view of the telescope with the collars attached.
The eye-piece pulls out to focus, and is furnished with an india-rubber shield
or buffer to prevent injury to the eye. Figure 9 is a view of the part of the
rifle to which the telescope is fixed. To fix the telescope it is necessary to
hold it at right angles to the piece with the object end uppermost, and in this
position to enter the neck g of the collar at the eye end into the hole f of the
screw escutcheon plate. The telescope is then twisted a quarter of a circle,
so as to bring the quadrant i (on the other collar) to press upon the plate h
let into the stock. When so twisted, the lugs m, m, on the peck of tho

page_text: arrow.
collar at the eye end take hold of the inner face of the escutcheon plate, (see
Figure 11, shewing a cross section of the stock at this point,) and draw the
telescope tight to the piece, while the edge of the quadrant at the other end is
seised by the overlapping head k (Figures 9 and 3) of the clamping screw 7,
shown in cross section in Figure 10. On the flat head k of this clamping
screw (which is flush with the upper ledge of the quadrant) is a fine line. or
When the zero of the quadrant is brought to correspond with this
line, the axis of the telescope is by construction exactly parallel to the axis of
the barrel of the piece, both in the horizontal and vertical plane, and the
telescope may be securely fixed in this position by a turn of the milled nut n,
Figure 10, at the end of the clamping screw l. This zero of the quadrant. is
for aim at point blank, or before the bullet begins sensibly to drop. To give
elevation at the longer distances, the clamping screw is unclamped, and the
object end of the telescope is depressed, until the division on the. quadrant
marking the elevation for the particular distance required comes exactly to
coincide with the arrow on the head of the clamping screw, and then the
quadrant is clamped, and the rifle is ready for use at that distance. If, after.
a trial shot, it is found that a little elevation more or less is required (instead
of attempting to make the correction by moving the quadrant), the cross line
in the field of the telescope is moved up or down, as the case may require by
the milled nut d, Figure 1. Again, should the shot from the influence of the
wind strike to either side of the mark, correction is given by means of the
other milled nut o, Figure 1, working the horizontal line, as already described.
In Figure 9 the telescope is represented attached to the rifle, and fixed for the
One thousand yards range.
.
I should observe that the telescope admits of being used without the
arrangement, by which the outer tube is made to move up and down for the
different elevations. For example, if I use a telescope of small power and
large field, and fixed to the side of the piece in any secure manner, so as to
clear the muzzle when looking through it at the object, I obtain sufficient
scope for giving any amount of elevation up to a very considerable range
without depressing the telescope itself, but by simply raising or depressing the
cross lines within the telescope, the amount for the various ranges being
marked on the square pin c at the end of the slide a, Figure 1.
The advantages of this Invention may be briefly stated as follows:-
1. By means of the telescope, constructed and arranged as herein-before
described, crror of aim is, practically speaking, annihilated.
2. It enables a rifleman to search out and aim at an object which cannot
be detected by the naked eve.

page_text: 3. While on the piece it does not interfere with the use of the ordinary
sight, and it can be taken off or put on in a moment.
4. In aiming at long ranges, instead of having to raise the eye and lift the
cheek from the stock, as with the ordinary sights, the cheek continues to press
the stock, and the eye is very slightly raised.
5. It places persons with short or defective vision on a par with those
possessing the best sight.
Having thus described the nature of my said Invention, and the manner
in which it is to be performed and carried into effect, I would observe, in
conclusion, that I do not restrict or confine myself to the precise details and
arrangements which I have described or referred to, as variations may be
made therefrom without deviating from the principles or main features of my
Invention; and, moreover, that what I consider novel and original, and
therefore claim as my Invention, are,―
First, the construction of the field bar of the telescope with the slides and
fittings, and arrangements connected therewith, herein-before described and
set forth, or any mere modifications thereof.
And, secondly, the methods of arranging and fixing telescopes in com-
bination with fire-arms, and the mechanism for effecting the same, for the
purposes aforesaid, herein-before substantially set forth and described, or any
mere modifications thereof.
In witness whereof, I, the said David Davidson, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Seventeenth day of June, in the year of our Lord'
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
D. DAVIDSON.
(L.B.)