IMPROVEMENTS IN TELESCOPIC SIGHTS AND GUN STOCKS
Year: 1885

page_text: I, DANIEL FRASER, Gun & Rifle Maker 4 Leith St. Terrace Edinburgh do hereby
declare the nature of my said invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN TELESCOPIC SIGHTS
AND GUN STOCKS to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention has for its object to simplify and improve the
system of Rifle Sights known as Telescopic Sights, where a small Telescope is used
on the top, otherwise the rib of the Barrel or Barrels, with one or more cross lines
intersecting the Field to give alignment or aim.
The Telescope is at present attached to the Barrel by means of two bands, six
inches, more or less apart, the under sides of said bands being dovetailed to
correspond with dovetailed pieces fixed across the Barrel or rib. This method of
affixing the Telescope is not capable of adjustment for elevation or for the
alteration of the cross lines in the field of Sight, unless by taking the whole
instrument to pieces.
In carrying out the Invention I make provision for depressing or elevating the
Telescope either at the front or rear band, by means of a strong vertical screwed
pin, working up the centre of the band from below and cut to hundredths or any
desired pitch, so that a half or full turn of the screw gives an equivalent in
elevation.
The vertical screw may have a swivel movement or not as required, and it is
fitted into or solid with a base which forms the lower or dovetail part of the band;
when set at the correct elevation it is held by a small side or pinching screw which
enters a slot or recess in the larger or vertical screw. The elevating band referred
to may be made without a screw, by substituting a simple cylindrical pin secured
by a pinching screw as before explained.
The second part of my Invention refers to the method of holding the Telescope
on to the dovetailed pieces inserted in rib of Barrel so that the sight may not be
shaken loose by the recoil of the rifle. I accomplish this by means of a bolt of
special construction, consisting of a pallet or Lever working in the centre of the

page_text: rear dovetailed band and having its front part depressed beyond the flush of the
dovetail, with a small spiral or other spring pressing the fore part or point
downwards. When the Telescope is drawn fully on to the dovetails, this fore part
or point of the pallet springs into a hollow or recess cut in the rib or top of the
Barrel, and is released or withdrawn from the said recess by pressing on a small
button and spindle on the side of the band, said spindle working on an incline or
bevel on the rear end of the Pallet.
The third part of the Invention refers to an improved Eye-piece or Recoil Slide,
the inner lens of the Telescopic Eye-piece is reduced in diameter so that space is
left in the setting of the lens to screw on a piece of tube, which method gives a
bearing surface of two inches instead of only half an inch as previously constructed.
The above plan has the effect of steadying the eyepiece and preventing deflection or
variation of aim.
The fourth part of the Invention has reference more particularly to the
construction and form of stock as applied to Shot Guns or Fowling Pieces, where
the shooting is rapid and the aim dependent on the position of the cheek on the
stock for accuracy.
My improvement consists in making a Fence on the top & right side of the stock
so that when the eye looks straight along the Barrels or rib, the cheek touches the
Fence and prevents any error in taking aim. The said Fence may be in one piece
with or formed separately from the stock.

page_text: I, DANIEL FRASER, of Edinburgh in the County of Midlothian, Gun and Rifle
Maker do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENTS IN
TELESCOPIC SIGHTS AND GUN STOCKS and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
My said Invention has for its object to improve and simplify the system of rifle
sights known as Telescopic Sights, where a small Telescope is used on the top,
otherwise the rib of the barrel or barrels, with one or more lines intersecting the
field to give alignment or aim, also improvements in the form of stock adapted to
breech loading Shot Guns or Fowling pieces.
In carrying out the invention I make provision for depressing or elevating the
Telescope, either at the front or rear band, by means of a strong vertical screwed
pin, working up the centre of the band from below and cut to hundredths or any
desired pitch, so that a half or full turn of the screw gives an equivalent in
elevation. The vertical screw may have a swivel arrangement or movement or not
as required, and it is fitted into and solid with a base which forms the lower or
dovetail part of the band; when set at the correct elevation it is held by a small
side or pinching screw which enters a slot or recess in the larger or vertical pin.
The elevating band may also be made without a screwed pin, by substituting a
simple cylindrical pin secured by a pinching screw as before explained.
The second part of my Invention refers to the method of holding the Telescope
on the dovetailed pieces inserted in the rib of the barrel so that the sight may not
be shaken loose by the recoil of the. rifle. I accomplish this by means of a Bolt
of special construction, consisting of a pallet or lever working in centre of the
rear dovetailed band, and having its front part depressed beyond the flush of
the dovetail, with a small spiral or other. spring pressing the fore part or point
downwards. When the Telescope is drawn fully on to the dovetails, this fore part
or point of the pallet springs into a hollow or recess cut in the rib or top of the barrel,
and is. released or withdrawn from the said recess by pressure applied to a small
button and spindle on the side of the band, the said spindle working on an incline
or bevel on the rear end of the pallet.
The third part of the Invention refers to an improved eye-piece or recoil-slide;
the inner lens of the Telescopic eye-piece is reduced in diameter, so that space
left in the setting of the lens to screw on a piece of tube, which method gives a
bearing surface of two inches instead of only one half inch as previously constructed.
The above plan has the effect of steadying the eye-piece and preventing deflection
or variation of aim.
The fourth part of the Invention has reference more particularly to the con-
struction and form of stock as applied to shot Guns or Fowling-pieces, where

page_text: the shooting is rapid and the aim dependent on the position of the cheek on the
stock for accuracy. My improvement consists in making a fence on the top and
right side of the stock, so that when the eye looks straight along the barrels or rib,
the cheek touches the fence and prevents any error in taking aim. The said fence
may be in one piece with, or formed separately from the stock.
And in order that my said Invention and the manner of performing the same
may be properly understood, I herewith append one sheet of explanatory drawings,
to be hereinafter referred to and representing my improved mechanism or
arrangement.
Figure I. is a side elevation of the front part of the Telescope, showing the
front band 1. with screw elevator 2. and the position of the check or pinching
screw 3.
Figure 2. is a transverse section of figure 1.
Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the rear band 4. showing the point of the
pallet or detent 5. engaged in recess 6 in the upper rib of the barrel, the position of
the spindle 7 being indicated by dotted lines.
Figure 4 is a transverse section of figure 3. looking from the rear, and showing
the bevel or inclined plane on spindle 7 acting on the inclined plane on the pallet
or detent 5, the pallet being shown in the fixed position, with point down as in
figure 3.
Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the eye-piece, showing the lens 9 with
Bcrew 10 on the outer end to admit of tube 11 being screwed on, thereby elongating
the slide.
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
1. An improved method of elevating the Telescope as hereinbefore described.
2. The rapid and effective attachment of the Telescopic Sight to the barrel of the
rifle by means of a spring detent, as herein before described.
3. The arrangement of the lens in the recoil-slide or eye piece, whereby an
elongated tube may be fitted, thus giving increased steadiness to the eye piece, as
herein before described.
4. An improvement in the form of Gun Stocks to allow of more rapid and
accurate aim being taken, as hereinbefore described.
Dated this sixteenth day of February 1886.