Electric Apparatus for Illuminating the Sights of Fire Arms in the Dark.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 28th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Aug., 1993-Accepted, 14th Oct., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Electric Apparatus for Illuminating the Sights of Fire Arms in
the Dark.
1, GIOVANNI GARASSINO DI GIOVANNI, of Via Giannone 3 Turin, Italy,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to electric apparatus, applicable to fire arms, in order to
facilitate aiming in the dark by illuminating the sights. For this purpose, I fix on
the front end of the barrel, somewhat in the manner of a bayonet, apparatus con-
sisting of a block carrying under it a small pile or battery cell held in an impervious
casing which is provided with a valve for allowing escape of gas. The electrodes
of the pile or cell are connected, through a switch, to the filament of a small
incandescent electric lamp which is fixed on the block immediately in front of the
fore sight. The switch is preferably urged by a spring to hold the circuit of the
lamp open,
but can be moved so as to close the circuit by acting on a press button
or handle; and this press button or its equivalent may be so arranged that the
act of raising the arm to the shoulder in firing position shall move it, closing the
circuit of the lamp, so that it illuminates the sights, enabling the marksman to
take aim in the dark.
.
Dated this 28th day of November 1892.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Electric Apparatus for Illuminating the Sights of Fire Arms in
the Dark.
I, GIOVANNI GARASSINO DI GIOVANNI, of Via Giannone 3 Turin, Italy,
Electrician, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :--
This invention relates to electric apparatus applicable to fire arms in order to
facilitate aiming in the dark by illuminating the sights. The apparatus is fixed on
the front end of the barrel in the manner of a bayonet, and it consists chiefly of a
small pile or battery cell, an incandescent lamp and means of switching on and off
the current, as I shall explain referring to the accompanying drawings.
Fig. 1 is an end elevation partly in section and Fig. 2 is a plan partly in section
shewing the front part of the barrel of a fire arm with apparatus according to this
invention applied to it.
Fig. 1 is a transverse section on X X.
Figs. 3, 4 and 5 shew modifications hereinafter referred to.
A is an electric generator, or it may be a charged accumulator, having plates or
electrodes ele contained in a cell a of insulating material, and preferably within
an elastic bag to allow for expansion and contraction.
The electrodes or plates are fixed to the cover a' through which pass the
conductors c¹ c¹.
A plug d screwed in after charging the cell, has through it a small hole for
passage of gas, and has under it a caoutchouc washer which is also pierced with a
very small hole. This hole is usually closed, but should the gas within the cell
attain sufficient pressure it opens to allow escape.
Fixed to or in one piece with A is a piece B having through it a hole so that it

page_text: can be pushed on to the front end of the barrel C where it is held by a spring
catch engaging behind the sight for which there is an opening S in the upper
part of the piece B.
I
On pressing a knob / the catch g can be disengaged and the apparatus can be
removed.
An incandescent lamp i is enclosed in a recess in the front part of B, and through
a hole its light can pass to the fore-sight and thence to the back-sight. The
conductors issuing from the cell at cell are connected through contacts m³ n', m¹ n
respectively to a spring knob D on the left side of the stock and to a plate under
it, so that, on making contact with the plate by pressing the knob D, at the
moment of aiming, the sights are illuminated, and as D when released automatically
breaks contact, there is no waste of electricity when the arm is not in use. Also
as the contacts at m' n', m" n" are broken when B is drawn off the barrel, there is
no waste in that case.
Fig. 3 is a side view and Fig. 4 is a plan shewing a modification according to
which contact is made automatically when the arm is raised to the shoulder. For
this purpose an inclined chamber E contains mercury, which when the arm is
horizontal makes contact of the conducting wires p q.
In order, when this construction is adopted, to prevent waste of electricity when
the apparatus is detached, contact is made as shewn in Fig. 4 by a spring F which
is pressed on a plate only when the apparatus is fixed on the barrel.
When a
primary battery cell is employed instead of an accumulator, the electrolyte liquid
is kept away from the electrodes by adopting the arrangement shewn in Fig. 5.
The liquid is contained in a flexible bag G distended by a spring. At the moment
of aiming, this bag is pressed by a rod R extending to the shoulder, the liquid
being thus forced through a hole o into the cell.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is
1. Apparatus for illuminating the sights of fire arms by means of an electric
lamp worked by an accumulator or battery cell, substantially as described.
2. In the apparatus above referred to, the spring contact knob D, substantially as
and for the purpose set forth.
3. The modification whereby contact is automatically made when the barrel is
horizontal, substantially as described with reference to Fig. 3.
4. The arrangement of spring F as described with reference to Fig. 4 for making
contact only when the apparatus is on the barrel.
5. In combination with a battery cell, a spring bag containing the liquid
electrolyte, substantially as and for the purpose set forth with reference to Fig. 5.
Dated this 23rd day of August 1893.
ABEL & IMRAY,
Agents for the Applicant.