IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLES FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE HOLDING OF SAME AT ANY DESIRED ELEVATION FOR FIRING
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Charles Day Durnford, of the Island of Guernsey,
Deputy Assistant Commissary General of Ordnance for an Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLES FOR THE PURPOSE OF FACILITATING THE HOLDING
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Charles Day Durnford at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th September 1883.
CHARLES DAY DURNFORD, of the Island of Guernsey, Deputy Assistant
Commissary General of Ordnance, "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLES FOR THE PURPOSE
OF FACILITATING THE HOLDING OF THE SAME AT ANY DESIRED ELEVATION FOR
FIRING,"
This invention consists in the employment of a spirit or other similar level in
combination with a graduated plate or quadrant near the breech of the rifle for
the purpose of enabling the person or persons using the same to readily obtain
and keep any desired "elevation" in the open, behind cover, or through smoke
or fog.
A small plate with an aperture therein is fixed on the stock of the rifle and a
graduated plate or quadrant is also fixed thereon at a suitable distance from the
said plate. The said plate or plates is or are flush or nearly flush with the surface
of the stock. One end of the level, which is enclosed in a strong case, is arranged,
in connection with the before mentioned small plate, to turn on a pivot, and the
opposite end is adapted for marking the number on the quadrant at which the
level may be clamped and is provided with any suitable contrivance for grasping
the edge of the graduated plate or quadrant (the stock being cut away or recessed
behind the said edge to allow of this) or for otherwise securing the level in any
required position. In some cases, when it is desired to allow of the level being
removed, at will, the pivot end of the level is provided with a pivot pin furnished
with a button at its free extremity, the said button having been passed through
[Price Bd1

page_text: the aperture in the plate the pivot pin is pushed into a slot in the said plate and
the opposite end of the level is brought into position with the graduated plate or
quadrant and clamped thereto or otherwise secured.
In some cases the pivot plate and graduated plate or quadrant are combined in
one piece.
When it is desired to make use of the mechanism herein before described the
desired elevation is obtained by means of the ordinary sights and the level is
clamped in a horizontal position whilst the rifle is held at the desired elevation,
and the number registered, by the pointed end of the level, on the graduated plate
or quadrant, is given to the men who clamp the levels on their rifles to the
corresponding number on the quadrants arranged in connection therewith and take
the requisite sight from the air bubble within the level.
It will be readily understood that a mirror or prism may be arranged in
connection with the level in such a manner as to enable the holder of the rifle to
ascertain the position of the bubble in the level by reflection.
When it is desired to employ the level for firing at night the same is provided
with an interchangeable back in such a manner that a green or other coloured
surface which shall be next to the tube during the day can, when required, have a
surface of luminous paint substituted therefor.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Charles Day Durnford in the Patent Office on the 17th March 1884.
CHARLES DAY DURNFORD, of the Island of Guernsey, Deputy Assistant
Commissary General of Ordnance, "IMPROVEMENTS IN RIFLES FOR THE PURPOSE
OF FACILITATING THE HOLDING OF THE SAME AT ANY DESIRED ELEVATION FOR
FIRING
"
My said invention consists in the arrangement of a spirit or other similar level
in combination with a graduated plate or quadrant near the breech of the rifle
for the purpose of enabling the person using the same to readily obtain and keep
any desired elevation in the open, behind cover or through smoke or fog.
A spirit or other similar level is arranged within a case connected by a pivot
with a plate on the stock of the rifle. One end of this case is designed to indicate
the angle of elevation of the rifle on a graduated plate or quadrant, and the case
is provided with any suitable contrivance for clamping it in any desired position.
I will now proceed to refer to the accompanying drawings from which the nature
of my said invention will be more clearly understood. The same letters of reference
indicate like parts in all the Figures. Figure 1. is a side view of the stock of a
gun with the level and graduated quadrant or plate arranged thereon. Figure 2.
is a top view of the case containing the level, Figure 3. shows the pivot plate, and
Figure 4. is a longitudinal section of a plate to be attached to the stock and in
which the pivot plate and the graduated plate or quadrant are combined A. is
the case containing the level, B, the graduated plate or quadrant, and C. is the
pivot plate. The said plates are arranged on the stock in such a manner as to be
Bush, or nearly so, with the surface thereof. At one end the case A. is provided
with a pivot pin a. the button on the end of which, when it is desired to place the
level in position, is passed through the aperture c. in the plate C. and is then
moved into the slot c. and the opposite end of the said case is then brought into
position with the plate B. to which it is clamped by the contrivance a¹., the stock of
the rifle is recessed in order to allow of this being effected without any unnecessary
projection of the plate B.
When it is intended to make use of the mechanism herein before described the
desired elevation having been ascertained by any suitable means, the rifle is
elevated as required and the level is brought to a horizontal position and there
clamped and the number registered on the graduated plate or quadrant by the
pointed end of the case A. is given to the men about to fire and they clamp the
levels on their rifles to the corresponding number on the graduated plate or
quadrants arranged in connection therewith and the barrels of their rifles will be
found to have the requisite elevation when the air bubbles are at the centres of the
levels.
In the accompanying drawings the level is shown arranged in such a manner
that it can be easily removed, but, when desired, it may be permanently pivoted to
the plate C.
It will be readily understood that a mirror or prism may be arranged in
connection with the level in such a manner as to enable the holder of the rifle to
ascertain the position of the bubble in the level by reflection.
When it is desired to provide for the employment of the level for firing at night
it is fitted with an interchangeable back so that in place of a green or other
coloured surface, which shall be next to the tube during the day, a surface of
luminous paint may be substituted.

page_text: It will be well understood that if desired levels constructed and arranged as
berein before described are suitable to be employed for obtaining the elevation of
ordnance.
Having thus described and ascertained the nature of the said Invention and the
manner in which the same is to be performed I would observe in conclusion that
what I consider novel and original and therefore claim as constituting the
invention secured to me by the said hereinbefore in part recited Letters
Patent, is :-
The construction and arrangement of the apparatus for facilitating the holding
of rifles at any desired elevation, consisting of the pivoted level and the graduated
plate or quadrant, substantially as bereinbefore set forth and described.
In Witness whereof I the said Charles Day Durnford have heretunto [sic] set my
hand and seal this fourteenth day of March in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and eighty four.
CHARLES DAY DURNFORD (L.S.)