AN IMPROVED SHIELD OR PROTECTOR FOR THE FORE SIGHTS OF SMALL FIRE ARMS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, WILLIAM SANDBROOK, of Ebbw Vale in the County of Monmouth, Ironmonger,
do hereby declare the nature or said invention for "AN IMPROVED SHIELD OR
PROTECTOR FOR THE FORE SIGHTS OF SMALL FIRE ARMS," to be as follows:-
"
The shield or protector in which this invention consists is designed to be
locked upon the barrel when adjusted into position to cover the foresight.
By a movement in the contrary direction to that required for locking, the shield
or protector may be unlocked. It is formed of two cylindrical cases, one of which
is placed inside the other and extends upwards from the lower end of the latter
to any desired point therein. The outer case is free to be moved round within
limits over the inner case which is furnished with a guard projecting outwards
through an aperture formed for the purpose in the outer case., The sides of the
said aperture form stops to the travel of the outer case over the inner case.
The aperture is so shaped at one side that a tongue is formed at that side at the
lower end of the case.
This tongue extends towards the guard aforesaid which is pierced to permit the
passage of the tongue into the guard when the outer case is moved over the inner
case accordingly.
The tongue being drawn back, the shield or protector is placed upon the barrel
of the arm and the foresight is covered by the guard formed on the inner case.
The outer case is then moved towards the right hand, so as to bring the tongue
thereof below the foresight and thus to cause the shield or protector to become
locked on the weapon to protect the foresight from injury. To unlock the shield
or protector, the outer case is moved towards the left hand and the tongue thus
withdrawn from below the foresight, ·
The shield or protector is provided with a cover which is readily removed when
required.
C
Under a modification, the shield or protector consists of one cylindrical case only,
and the guard of the foresight is formed on the said case and a tongue or flat bolt
placed inside the case at it's lower end. This tongue or bolt is capable of being
moved or shot forwards below and backwards from under the foresight, causing the
shield or protector to be locked or unlocked accordingly.
A stud or button attached to the sliding tongue, and having a shank extending
through a slot cut in the case, acts as a stop to the travel of the case.

page_text: I, WILLIAM SANDBROOK, of Ebbw Vale, in the County of Monmouth, Ironmonger,
do hereby declare the nature of my said invention for," AN IMPROVED SHIELD OR
PROTECTOR FOR THE FORESIGHTS OF SMALL FIRE ARMS," and in what manner
the same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement :-
The shield or protector in which my said invention consists is designed to be
locked upon the barrel of a rifle or other small fire arm after having been adjusted
thereon to cover the foresight. By a reverse movement to that required for
locking, the shield or protector may be unlocked: It is formed of two cylindrical
or partly cylindrical cases one of which is placed inside the other and extends
upwards from the lower end of the latter to any desired point therein. The outer
case is free to be moved round over the inner case which is shaped to form a guard
projecting outwards through an aperture made therefor in the outer case. The
sides of the said aperture constitute stops to the range of. travel of the outer over
the inner case. The aperture is so shaped at one side that a tongue or bolt is
formed at that side at the lower end of the case. This tongue extends towards
the guard aforesaid which is pierced or slotted to permit the passage of the tongue
when the outer case is moved over the inner case to lock or unlock the shield or
protector.
In order to lock the shield or protector over the foresight of a small fire arm
the outer case is first moved over the inner case in the direction necessary to
withdraw the tongue aforesaid from below the guard. The shield or protector is
then placed over the barrel of the fire arm so as to cover the foresight with the
guard formed, as aforesaid, on the inner case. The outer case is now moved so as
to bring the tongue thereof below the foresight of the arm, the inner case being
prevented from moving by contact with the foresight. Thus the tongue of the
outer case is passed below the foresight, and the shield or protector becomes locked
on the fire arm. Reverse motion of the outer case to that required for locking
causes the tongue of the outer case to bo withdrawn from below the foresight,
and the shield or protector may then be removed from the barrel of the fire arm.
Referring to the appended sheet of illustrative drawings, Figs 1 and 2 represent
respectively a side elevation and a front elevation of one form of construction of
my improved shield or protector as applied to a rifle. The shield or protector is
represented as unlocked. In the front view represented at Fig: 3 the shield or
protector is shown as locked upon the barrel a of the rifle. Fig: 4 represents a
plan of the shield or protector. Fig: 5 represents a transverse section of Fig: 2
taken through the foresight c. Fig: 6 représents a transverse section, as viewed
from below upwards, of the barrel, the section being taken below the protector
which is shown as unlocked. Fig: 7 is a view similar to that represented at Fig 16,
and shows the protector as locked.
÷
The shield or protector is composed of two cylindrical or partly cylindrical
cases e and e¹ one of which, e¹, is embraced by the other, e, as shown. The case e¹

page_text: extends upwards in the case e to any desired point therein. The outer case e is
free to be moved round over the inner case e¹ which is shaped to form the guard f
closed at the top and projecting outwards through an aperture made therefor in
the outer case e.
The sides of the said aperture constitutes stops or limits of travel
of the outer case e over the inner case e¹. The tongue i formed at one side of the
said aperture acts as the bolt whereby the protector may be locked over the
foresight c, the guard f being pierced or slotted to permit the passage of the said
bolt when the outer case is moved round over the inner for the purpose of locking
or unlocking the shield or protector.
In order to lock the shield or protector over the foresight c of the rifle barrel a,
the tongue is first drawn back to the position represented at Figs 1. 2. 5 and 6
and the shield or protector is then placed on the barrel a so as to cover the
foresight c with the guard f formed, as aforesaid, on the inner case e¹. The outer
case e, is now moved round over the inner case e¹, which is prevented from moving
by contact with the foresight, and thus the tongue i is brought below the foresight
and the shield or protector becomes thereby locked on the arm as represented at
Figs 3 and 7.
Reverse motion of the outer case e to that required for locking causes the
tongue i to be withdrawn from below the foresight c, as represented at Figs
1. 2. 5 and 6, and the shield or protector may then be removed from the barrel
of the fire arm. The instrument is furnished with a screw cap or cover k.
Under a modification, represented at Fig: 8, the shield or protector consists of
one cylindrical case e only, the guard f being a part thereof. The flat tongue or
bolt fitting inside and concentric with the case is free to be shot forward below
and backwards from under the foresight c in the groove for locking and
unlocking the shield or protector. The stud or button 22, whereby the bolt is
actuated serves as a stop to the range of travel of the tongue i;
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
The shield or protector, for protecting the foresights of small fire arms, composed
either of two cases e and e¹ disposed, shaped and operating substantially as herein-
before described with reference to Figs 1 to 7 of the appended sheet of drawings,
or composed of one case e furnished with a bolt i or its equivalent, arranged and
operating substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Fig: 8 of the
appended sheet of drawings.