IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGHTS FOR RIFLES
Year: 1862

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Thomas Newton, of the City of Manchester, in the
County of Lancaster. Gun and Rifle Manufacturer, for the Invention of
"IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGHTS FOR RIFLES,"
Sealed the 21st March 1862, and dated the 18th January 1862.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Thomas Newton at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
18th January 1862.
I, THOMAS NEWTON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster,
Gun and Rifle Manufacturer, do hereby declare the nature of the said Inven-
tion for "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGHTS FOR RIFLES," to be as follows:-
This Invention relates, first, to the fore sight, and consists in making it
portable and adjustable instead of having it permanently fixed to the barrel of
the piece, as at present adopted. The "sight" is attached to a sliding plate
working on a surface forming part of a hoop or collar which fits the muzzle
of the barrel where the sight is required to be placed, and is provided with a
thumb screw for holding it fast.
There are various modes of shifting the sliding plate for adjusting the sight.
In one arrangement the sliding plate carries a nut encircling a screw held in
bearings on the hoop or surface, so that when the screw is turned either way
the sliding plate is moved to and fro and the "sight" adjusted with great
facility.
In another arrangement the sliding plate has teeth underneath gearing into
[Price 8d.1

page_text: teeth formed in a ring encircling the hoop which carries the surface and sliding
plate. At the lower part of the ring there is a boss with a screwed hole and
thumb-screw which, when slack, allows the ring to be turned and shift the
sliding plate by means of the teeth, but when the thumb-screw is screwed fast
it tightens the sliding plate and sight connected with it, and also firmly holds
the hoop to the barrel of the piece.
This Invention relates, secondly, to the back sight, and consists in improved
modes of filling up the space between the sliding or elevating bar and the
bottom of the holder.. The sliding or elevating bar is linked to a series of
plates acting as shutters, so that when the elevating bar is moved up or down
the series of plates move up and down also and thus accommodate themselves
to the distance between the top of the sliding bar and the holder, and effectually
close the opening. In order to elevate or depress the plates as required, I
employ a rack at each side of the holder, gearing into the teeth of which are
two wheels or pinions working in bearings attached to the sliding bar, so that
when the pinions are turned either way the elevating bar and plates connected
with it rise or fall and thus close the opening. Or instead of the plates I may
employ a curtain of any suitable metal or material wound on a roller and
moved up and down by a rack and pinion or other convenient means.
.Although I prefer the rack and pinion movement for raising and lowering the
elevating bar and plates connected with it, yet any other suitable means may
be employed. I also make the back sight removable at pleasure instead of
being permanently fixed, as at present, either by keeping it in its place by a
small spring or springs, or by a spindle with a milled head, passing through
the bottom of the back sight and screwing into the usual framework.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Thomas Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
17th July 1862.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, THOMAS
NEWTON, of the City of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Gun and
Rifle Manufacturer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Eighteenth day of January, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, in the twenty-fifth year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant
unto me, the said Thomas Newton, Her special licence that I, the said

page_text: Thomas Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said Thomas Newton, 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 "IMPROVEMENTS IN SIGHTS FOR RIFLES," upon the condition (amongst others)
that I, the said Thomas Newton, my executors or administrators, by an instru-
ment. 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 imme-
diately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Thomas Newton, 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 (that is to say):
This Invention relates, first, to the fore sight, and consists in making it
portable and adjustable instead of having it permanently fixed to the barrel of
the piece, as at present. The "sight" is attached to a sliding plate working
on a surface or in a vec-groove forming part of a hoop or collar which fits the
muzzle of the barrel where the sight is required to be placed, and is provided
with a thumb-screw for holding it fast.
There are various modes of shifting the sliding plate for adjusting the sight.
In one arrangement the sliding plate carries a nut encircling a screw.held in
the bearings on the hoop or surface, so that when the screw is turned either
way the sliding plate is moved to and fro, and the "sight" adjusted with
great facility, so as to give the necessary amount of wind gauge arrangement.
In another arrangement- the sliding plate has teeth underneath, gearing into
teeth formed in a ring encircling the hoop which carries the surface and sliding
plate. At the lower part of the hoop there is a screwed hole and thumb-screw
which, when slack, allows the ring to be turned and shift the sliding plate by
means of teeth; but when the thumb-screw is screwed fast it tightens the
sliding plate and "sight" connected with it and also firmly holds the hoop to
the barrel of the piece.
This Invention relates, secondly, to the back sight, and consists in improved
modes of filling up the space between the sliding or elevating bar and the
bottom of the holder. The sliding or elevating bar is fastened to a series of
plates acting as shutters, so that when the elevating bar is moved up or down

page_text: the series of plates move up and down also and thus accommodate themselves
to the distance between the top of the sliding bar and the holder, and effectually
close the opening. In order to elevate or depress the plates as required I
employ a rack at each side of the frame or holder. gearing into the teeth of
which are two wheels or pinions working in bearings attached to the sliding
bar, so that when the pinions are turned either way the elevating bar and
plates connected with it rise or fall and thus close the opening. Or instead of
the plates I may employ a curtain of any suitable metal or material wound on
a roller and moved up and down by a rack and pinion or other convenient
means. Although I have mentioned the rack and pinion movement for raising
and lowering the elevating bar and plates connected with it, yet any other
suitable means may be employed. I also make the back sight removable at
pleasure instead of being permanently fixed as at present, either by keeping it
in its place by a small spring or springs, or by a spindle with a milled head,
passing through the bottom of the framework and screwing into the bed
plate.
These improvements will be clearly understood by referring to the figures
and letters on the accompanying. Sheet of Drawings, in which Figs. 1, 2,
and 3, are front side, and top views of one of my improved arrangements for
making the fore sight portable and adjustable; Fig. 4, a detached view of
some of the parts; and Fig. 5, a front view of another mode of shifting the
sliding plate for adjusting the sight. Fig. 6 is a front view of my improved
mode of filling up the space between the sliding or elevating bar and the
bottom of the framework of the back sight; Fig. 7, a detached view of part
of the same; and Fig. 8, an improved mode of indicating the exact height or
elevation of the sliding or elevating bar.
In Figs. 1, 2, and 3, representing one arrangement of my portable and
adjustable fore sight, the "sight" is shewn at a, it is attached to a sliding
plate b working in a vec-groove c forming part of a hoop or collar d which fits
the muzzle of the barrel where the sight is required to be placed, and is
provided with a thumb-screw e for holding it fast. At one side of the vee-
groove, and also forming part of the hoop or collar d, there is a bearing f
having a slot at the top for allowing a projection g on the nut h to fit a notch in
the sliding plate b, so that when the nut is moved the plate and "sight" move
also. The nut encircles the screw i, also shewn in Fig. 4, which passes through
the hole in the bearing and is prevented from moving laterally by the knobs
or milled heads k, by which the screw is turned either way as required, so as
to shift the nut and sliding plate and thereby adjust the "sight" with great
facility.

page_text: In Fig. 5 I represent another mode of shifting the sliding plate for adjusting
the "sight." The sliding plate has teeth underneath gearing into teeth
formed in a ring m encircling the hoop n which carrier the vee-groove and
sliding plate. At the lower part of the hoop there is a screwed hole, into
which is fitted the thumb-screw p, which passes through a slot in the ring, and
when slack allows the toothed ring to be turned and shift the sliding plate 1
by means of the teeth; but when the thumb-screw is screwed fast it tightens
the sliding plate and "sight" connected with it and also firmly holds the hoop
to the barrel, the said hoop being round or polygonal, according to the shape
of the barrel.
The second part of my Invention relates to the back sight, and consists in
improved modes of filling up the space between the sliding or elevating bar
and the bottom of the framework. In Fig. 6 the sliding or elevating bar is
shewn at q and the holder at r, the said bar is fastened to the top of a series
of plates s, the bottom of which is attached to the bottom of the holder. The
said plates act as shutters, so that when the elevating bar is moved up or down
the series of plates move up or down also and thus accommodate themselves
to the distance between the top of the sliding bar and, the holder, and effectually
close the opening, thus preventing any light getting between
sliding bar
and the bottom of the framework and dazzling the eye at the moment of
firing. The series of plates are shewn detached in Fig. 7, the plates being
held together, so that their entire length may be contracted or enlarged by
means of pins and slots. To elevate or depress the sliding or elevating bar
and plates connected with it I employ a rack t at each side of the holder r,
gearing into the teeth of which are two wheels or pinions u working in bear-
ings attached to the elevating bar q, so that when the pinions are turned either
way the elevating bar and plates connected with it rise or fall and thus close
the opening. Or instead of the plates I may employ a curtain of any suitable
metal or material wound on a roller and moved up and down by a rack -and
pinion or other convenient means. Although I prefer the rack and pinion
movement for raising and lowering the elevating bar and plates connected
with it, any other suitable means may be employed.
In Fig. 8 I represent a mode of adjusting the elevating bar with great
exactness. At both sides of the holder I make a scale of degrees, as at v, and
elevate one side of the sliding bar and place upon it a vernier or scale for
indicating minutes, whereby great nicety of adjustment of elevation is
obtained.
Having now described the nature and particulars of my said Invention, and
the manner in which the same is to be performed, I desire it to be understood

page_text: that I do not claim the mode or method shewn of remoying the back sight
from its bed for the sake of portability, nor the modes or methods for raising
or lowering the sliding or elevating bar, nor the vernier arrangement for
determining the exact elevation of the sliding bar, but what I claim is,
First, the improvements in portable and adjustable fore sights.
And, secondly, in back sights, the filling up the space between the sliding
or elevating bar and the bed of the sight by means of plates acting as shutters,
or by any other suitable and convenient. means, as such improvements are
herein described and illustrated in the accompanying Sheet of Drawings.
In witness whereof, I, the said Thomas Newton, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Sixteenth day of July, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-two.
Signed, sealed, and delivered by the
within-named Thomas Newton, in
the presence of
E. J. HUGHES,
Patent Agent,
Manchester.
THO NEWTON. (L.S.)